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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Hop-Too; Life Is Good

We were having a splendid afternoon in the back yard. Lauren was climbing the ladder. I was peeing my pants when I realized how high she'd gotten without supervision. Life was good.





Her joy in the ladder/slide combo was usurped by only one thing.





Acorns.

Our yard is being taken over by fallen acorns, and my girls collect them like treasure. They fill cups with them, pile them on stones, dump loads of them beneath the slide. They sort them by value: unripened greens and pinks are worth more than the glossy browns. Jumbo sized acorns from our neighbor's tree are more precious than minis from our own. And acorns with 'hats' are by far the most desirable, no matter the size, color, or shape.





They pour cupfulls down the slide to hear the clatter and watch the race as the acorns fly off the edge into the yard.





Every time we go outside now, acorns in cups are our first goal. All else is happenstance.




But on this day, something else stole Lauren's attention. At first she was interested.





Then she was worried. She tried to control her feelings, but this attention-grabbing thing wouldn't give her a moment's respite.





It was loud. It was insistent. It was coming closer all the time, until finally - it showed itself.





A helicopter. (Mama, hold! UP! A-Hop-Too! Mama, hooooold! A-Hop-TOOOO!)





She needed strong arms to protect her from this new and noisy danger, and I admit that I loved every second of her clinging arms and legs. She was glued to me.





And I was glued to her. She didn't let her grip falter until we'd retreated to the house, long after the noise of the helicopter had faded into the distance.





Her world is so large and unusual. But I get to be the one who shrinks it when needed, making it common and comfortable.


It was a splendid afternoon. Life was good.

12 comments:

  1. Aw, what a sweet moment!!! My 3-year-old LOVES helicopters. There are some displayed on the base nearby, and whenever we drive by them he implores, "Mama, ride the helicopter?!" ...Which is only mildly odd since we haven't ridden any helicopters before... :D

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  2. She's adorable. Sophie's just mastered the ladder too. Still working on the slide. She gets going way too fast and bumps her head at the bottom. Oh my heart was in my throat the first time I saw her at the top of that ladder.

    We love acorns too. Bella is obsessed with them. But our neighborhood is sadly lacking in oak trees. Too bad, I think they could use a bit more distraction from the dangerous slide.

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  3. So sweet. This reminded me of my youngest daughter who loved picking up acorns in the yard. I just had to constantly make sure she wasn't eating them.

    Thanks for visiting my blog. Nice to meet you.

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  4. Too sweet :) I have to admit, I love it when Hayden gets nervous about something and his little chubby legs start motoring as fast as they can and I get the biggest leg hug. So sweet :)

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  5. Precious :)

    P.S. I like your shirt :)

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  6. It's funny you say that Amy, because that's what I bought with my Old Navy gift card :) Thank you!

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  7. Your little Lauren is so sweet! What a fun memory!

    I used to love acorns as a little girl. One day I stole the small pocket knife out of my mom's purse to cut one open. I ended up cutting my palm open. My acorn love ended that day! And so began my fear of knives.

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  8. Oh I love these pictures! It almost makes me want to scare Penelope so I can get some shots like this too. But that would be wrong...right?

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  9. I love it...all of it. I love that you go out with the girls and let them collect acorns...how fun is that?! And I love your interpretations of Lauren speak and lastly I LOVE LOVE LOVE that last picture of her sweet face and hugging you tight with one eye on the scary thing....so sweet!

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  10. So sweet. Lauren knows Mama will keep her safe, and you look pretty happy yourself there! It's a pretty awesome job we've got isn't it? I can't imagine doing anything else...

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Hmm...And how did that make you FEEL?