Wild and Free

(belated august post) When I was teaching elementary school and it was time for recess I would tell my children "Go be wild and free!" with much gusto. I believe children need the opportunity to be "wild and free"....frequently....especially if they have lots of pent up energy. (like a certain little boy I know ) :) Seriously though, if I had a student misbehaving because they were hyper/energetic the LAST consequence I wanted to give them was taking away recess. Heck, if it was possible and wouldn't be seen as reinforcement I would have tripled their recess time. Anyway...in a babies life there are lots of restrictions and lots of no's as my precious Sweet Potato is quickly discovering. He is surrounded by a world with so many lovely things he cannot touch and so many intriguing avenues he cannot venture into unless he is holding my hand. That is why we love the park. The park is where I get to let him loose to run wild and free. I can casually stroll behind him and enjoy watching him discover. Of course, this casualness is interrupted intermittently by my momma ninja skills of grabbing him before he tumbles and snatching small objects headed to his mouth at lightning speeds. Really, it is quite amazing! Suffice it to say, again, that we love the park.

Here is our first slide ride:

Being loved to death. (These expressions crack me up everytime.)