New Woods to Explore

Christian, Peter, and I went exploring in a new forest today.  On our run yesterday we discovered a forest we hadn't explored in years and decided we would try it today.  It was in the far back behind bicentennial park.  I'd been in it many years ago but had forgotten what it was like.  So fun!  They have easy to follow, color coded trails and they are well maintained but narrow so it feels very rustic and secluded, even though at one point, you're just across the fence from a golf course with loud, laughing men playing golf not 10 feet away.  We hiked for about a mile around in the woods and had a great time.  Then we biked over to the playground and I noticed that the play structure wasn't in the bright, hot sun for the first time in weeks.  I decided to take advantage of this and allow Peter his first experience on the play structure and slide.  He LOVED it.  He laughed heartily every time he went down.  I taught him how to crawl back up it and he did it again and again.  At first, I'd help him sit on the slide and go down on his bum.  However, at home, we've taught him to take the stairs feet first on his tummy, so after a few times of going down, before I had a chance to help him into a sitting position, he flopped down onto his belly and went down that way.  He loved that too.  So he was going down both ways and having a blast exploring all over this new place.  I love watching him discover new things and be so happy learning.  I tried to get a picture of him but I couldn't get far enough from him to take it without worrying he was going to tumble off an edge.  I asked Christian to hold him on his lap and slide, but Peter thought Christian was taking him off the slide and became hysterical.  He looks so upset in the picture, but I promise, he was having a great time.  I'm so happy that he's finally able to have some of these experiences that I've wanted so long for him to have.

Today I was having a martyr day - one of those days when I just feel put-upon by the world.  I just wanted nothing more than to sit and read a book but I felt like I was just running ragged doing all the things that needed doing around a house with 6 people.  I didn't say anything, but Christian came up to me and said, "Why are you stressed?"  I asked him how he knew I was stressed.  "I can just tell by the way you're moving and you sigh a lot when you're stressed."  He's amazingly perceptive.  I told him how I felt and he said, "What can I do to help?"  So sweet.  He cleaned up the messes he'd made that had me frustrated and took Peter for a while downstairs so I could get some things done.  I really appreciate that guy.  Such a great kid.