We love the Park

I started about a month ago, taking Gavin to the park each day. We live about 2 miles away from a nice park right by the Bay. Since starting this routine I feel so much better. I used to have days where I was so bored and it was tough to think of places to go. This is not even mentioning the gas, loading and unloading the car each trip, and Gavin's tantrums if he didn't like the place I chose to take him to.

Our new routine is getting up each morning around 6 or 6:30am and making breakfast. Gavin watches Curious George or Blue's Clues while I cook and then we eat together and get dressed. By 8am he is itching to go outside which I can tell by the way he starts pointing and waiting by the back door. If I pretend not to get his hints then he will carry my sandals to me and throw them on my lap, after which he will go get his shoes and hold them out to me. I try to wait until after 8am to leave since before that time it is still cold and wet outside. Often times we will arrive at the park at the crack of dawn and be the only ones there.

By starting this routine I have met various other moms and their kids. Suprisingly not everyone who comes to our local park is local. I have met many tourists as well as people who will drive 10 or more miles to be by the Bay. It is nice now that I know a few of these moms and we can schedule play dates and sit and chat while our kids play. I feel happier having time to socialize and just getting outside with Gavin. I feel so revitalized after a walk/jog in the cool mornings. After the park we come back home and get cleaned up and eat an early lunch or snack. By noon Gavin is usually ready for his nap and I get an hour or two (hopefully) to cook, clean, and catch up on e-mails. Our afternoons are not as routine yet but for the days that I can't think of anything to do we may end up at the park again.

Gavin loves feeding the birds his gold fish or pretzels. The other day I crushed some gold fish in his hand and the birds pecked it off. He thought that was the neatest thing in the world and laughed with delight. He still hasn't learned to share his toys with other kids, but we are working on that... Last week he decided he wanted to go in the water. Within second he had run down the sandy beach and gotten his pants all wet.Luckily I noticed large jelly fish all around us and steered him back towards the slide. I don't know if dead jelly fish can sting, but I would prefer not to find out.

So this is our life. Gavin gets to discover new things each day. The little things that I don't even notice or don't find significant, are things that he finds so intriguing. Gavin has taught me to slow down and notice the flowers growing in the cracks of a sidewalk. Every airplane that flys overhead Gavin will drop whatever it is he was doing and stare up in the sky and point it out to me. I love re-discovering life with him.