Parking It

Each year since Olivia was about two years old, I’ve documented our adventures at the local parks.

Back during Olivia’s first year, I knew it would be a little harder just because she’d be in a stroller and Alyssa would be four and wanting to go everywhere and do everything. It was fine. Olivia slept in her stroller most of the time and Alyssa climbed and slid and swung and spun to her heart’s content. She needed minimal help with the climbing and sliding and just needed a little push to get started on the swinging.

I thought the second year would be different. When Olivia was born, of course I’d expected her to start walking on time and that meant she’d be a toddler during her second summer at the park. Not so much. She was still in her stroller most of the summer, since she didn’t start crawling until she was seventeen months old. And even if she had been crawling at the start of her second summer, I don’t think I’d have let her down to crawl in the chunks of tires or the wood chips that were scattered beneath the playground equipment at various parks in our area.

I’d hoped the third summer would be easier. But again, even though Olivia was walking in April of that year, she was a timid walker. She needed a lot of help from me if she was even willing to attempt to play on most of the equipment. This meant that Alyssa had to get braver and more independent, unless she was willing to hover at my side while I helicoptered over Olivia.

And so it went.

Even last year, Olivia was needy. She was scared to go down the slides by herself and she wanted me holding her hand as she climbed the stairs to even get to the slides.

But oh, how she’s grown over the past year. Her courage has grown, her confidence has blossomed and her daring has bloomed into a beautiful, scary flower.

We went to the park this weekend. Heck, we went to two parks! It was fabulous. Olivia climbed, she slid, she swung and she jumped all by herself.

Now, don’t think I’ve turned into one of those moms who finds a bench on the outer boundaries of the park and sits to watch my kids play. Oh no, that’s not where we are yet. No, I was right there, following them both as they played. But they were playing without my help. Olivia no longer needed me to go down the slides with her. She no longer needed to hold my hand to climb the stairs to the top of the slide.

We played a lot of ‘follow the leader.’ Alyssa and Olivia took turns leading and I followed behind, letting them choose where to go, what to play on. And it was great. Alyssa’s fun wasn’t limited by what Olivia couldn’t do. Olivia wasn’t afraid to try the things Alyssa led.

This is what I imagined six years ago when I was pregnant with my second child, these moments of sibling fun, of letting the lead the play and hearing them laugh at themselves and each other.

It only took five summers to get there but here we are.

And yes, our first visit to the park this season was on St. Patrick’s day. It was gloriously green.