Flynn is a fast learner. Or is that just my "momma pride" kicking in? Do we all automatically think our child is the smartest, the cleverest, the most beautiful?
The first time we brought her by the playground, there was no discernible interest. For one thing, she doesn't yet have peers whose example to follow when it comes to play. It's an interesting problem that an institutionalized child does not know how to play. As adults, we have mostly forgotten, and it takes a bit to get "back on the horse". She's too little for most of the things in the playground, but the swings are always doable. She does seem to be a bit of a daredevil. The only fear we've yet discovered is a fear of the microphone option on her toy piano - it scares her when we talk through it. She loves to hang upside down and will do so at any opportunity (she's quite strong, so this is a bit scary for those of us whose job it is to hang onto her and make sure she doesn't land on her head!) So we figured she might like the swings....but who really knows? For all we knew, they might make her seasick, or alarmed. So the first time I took her on - in my lap - I did it for a very short period of time, and didn't swing very hard. She seemed neither particularly alarmed no particularly thrilled. Nonplussed was her general attitude.
The next morning, my mum took her to the same playground, and tried putting her in the baby swing for just a bit. She reported that Flynn was still not alarmed, and still not particularly interested.
Third time's a charm, though, I guess, because when M and I took her the next evening...well, let's just say she'd figured it out! We put her in, gave her a little push, and the giggling and grinning began immediately. Within moments, she had figured out how to move her body back and forth in counterpoint to the motion of the swing, and in a few more minutes she was not only pumping her body, but also her legs....swinging herself!
This totally amazed me. An 11-month-old who has never seen a swing set and can't yet walk, figuring out how to swing herself with no help in only three tries! Is that amazing, or is it just my mommy-brain talking?
Look at that smile. I think there's not question she loves it.
She's also quite the flirt...here she is flirting with daddy.
...and with mommy.
Glee.
This seamonster has been around for decades and recently received a new coat of paint. Not sure how I feel about the color, but it's still a favorite landmark in the neighborhood. A seamonster never goes amiss.
I think Flynn agrees.
Flying Superman-style. Like I said...she likes to live on the edge.
4 comments:
so sweet to finally REALLY see you three together as a family, beyond the 'China travel' stage.
Flynn looks like she has the making of a very fine pirate indeed! fearless.
Paisley hates the swings...I keep trying but she just hates it.
Hope you feel better soon, then Flynn will have to learn how to keep up with you!.
she is so expressive! I love her little "faces" as she swings!
Bennett really hates the swings, he completely panics! QQ is fearless, of course ;)
Learning to pump at her age is GENIUS. Seriously- it's not just the mommy love talking. I don't think my son got the hang of it until he was 4 or 5 at least!
Yep, genius is the word! YaYa and all her friends just started doing that at four and I took it as a big milestone. She is amazing!
Your post about the powerful challenges of becoming a parent was right on. I took it as a sort of Zen challenge to truly sublimate my ego to the needs of another. Haven't got very far with it, but it helps me to visualize it that way. My friend with a child two years older gave me the mantra of "it gets easier every six months." I held on to that sometimes! : ) Sleep deprivation and lack of freedom are the worst and definitely the causes of a lot of parental angst. I have to add boredom as sometimes I was just dying for some adult conversation!! I'm sure you will find your rhythm when you are better. It's a LOT at once and we all think you're doing a fabulous job.
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