I'm Ready

Today, we had an anniversary dinner for my in laws.  Afterward, we went to the park in their old neighborhood, the same one that my husband and his brothers played in as children.


Something really cool happened while we were at the park.  For the first time ever,  Gabriel braved the slide all by himself.

First, he went down the little slide. After mastering that one, he attempted the medium wavy one.  And then he went down the big spiral slide.  All by himself.

Before, he would climb to the top of the slide and peer down, uncertain and apprehensive.  No amount of coaxing would encourage him. He always wanted to sit in our laps and go down the slide.  It was beginning to worry me a little because he is twenty eight months and I'd see younger children going down without a problem.

Today, with barely any prompting, he went right down.  A big beaming smile on his face.  A smile that said: "I'm ready.  I can do it all by myself."

I'm ready.  A reminder that each child is on his or her own timeline.  That each phase of development happens in its own time.  That the child is like a flower, unfolding one petal at a time.

Gabriel.  Sticking out his tongue for concentration.