A Rainy Day

We (my daughter, her two children and I) went to the toddler swim this morning at the high school pool. This a Tuesday and Thursday morning activity called "Toddler Swim" to introduce toddlers to the joys of swimming. It works, and is really a lot of fun. The children - Andrew 19 months and Baylee 6 months are getting used to the water, and even Baylee, who screamed the first two times we went, will willingly put her face in the water.

Our usual MO is to swim from 9 to 10, then come to our house for a snack. Baylee will take a short nap at this time, and then we go to the spray park to play. If it's too cool for the spray park (we live in Western New York, after all), we go to the school playground. Then we come back to the house for lunch, after which my daughter takes the babies home for afternoon naps.

Today, however, it is POURING, so not only is the spray park out of the question, the playground remains elusive as well. So... Andrew and I have been playing with blocks, Baylee is still sleeping, and Mom is lying on the couch, having fallen asleep while watching the rain. (Mom can be forgiven for this, as she is a midnight to 8 AM worker 3 nights a week).

When I sit down to type this, I watch Andrew who, despite his young age, manages to keep himself amused with the blocks and the box of toys. He takes out a doll, cradles it lovingly, smiles at it and gives it a tender kiss. This is what he experiences and sees. His parents hold him and his sister lovingly, smile at them often, kiss them and tell them they love them.

This is what we need to do to all of our children.