Botanical

 

 

Most of my hobbies reside in the winter, earning me the titles of  Ice Princess and a Snow Queen, but today, as the heat dissipates and allows for more a comfortable outdoor existence,  I want to throw away those titles and become a Fairy of the Fall.  I am reminded of  Goldilocks and her porridge,  other seasons are either too cold or too hot, but autumn is oh so right.

 

I took my coffee this morning on the front porch, and watched my toddler play amongst the apples that had fallen on the ground from our tree.  It was warm enough, that when the steward of the park across the street came to test the sprinkler system Sage was able to help out by running through the series of sprays.  And it was cool enough, that when my little guy wanted to ride his scooter the metal did not scald him from sitting out in the sun.

 

This afternoon the boys and I went to the nearby botanical gardens and explored among the  flowers.  Sage loved running a long the little paths and smelling the blooms. It was a great time to practice the names of colors in both English and Spanish.  What I thought was going to be a half an hour activity turned into almost three hours.  I had patience and Sage had curiosity so we just let it all flow.  The weather has not been fiercely hot, like it has been all summer, and there is where I think the patience originated.  The heat makes me cranky like nothing else on earth. 

 

 

 

 

Often, our outings are about the needs of two year old, Sage.   He demands a lot of hands on attention and safety considerations. He has  linguistic and physical learning  mile stones happening every day. It is so exciting to see what he will say or do next.  He has developed his own tastes and desires and even a sense of humor.  I also am very impressed with his strength and coordination.    This toddler stage of life is so ego-centric that other family members needs are over looked to appease the screams and the abundant energy of Sage.  The baby often seems to be brought a long for the ride, and is just absorbing the love and fresh air that is surrounding him. Robin is almost six months old, and has such an easy going personality. Today, I really wanted to make something all about him. So, while Sage was jumping off of near by benches, and walking on a stone wall like a balance beam, I rested in the grass with Robin and helped him practice un-supported sitting.  I had to spread his legs a part and place his hands forward and he could hold the position for about 3 seconds until he slowly toppled over.  The inspiration of taking a cute photo of him amongst the flowers turned out to be the perfect location for learning to sit on his own. The dense flower beds seemed to hold him up.  Bolstered by flowers he could sit confidently for minutes at a time!  His excitement was reflected in big grins and giggles.  He is my little flower child.





 

 

 



As I look over these photos of Robin, I am brought to tears. What a thrill that he had his first moments of sitting independently amongst flowers. It is a bitter and sweet moment. He is my baby.  I will never have another one. Soon he will be like his brother, leaping off of benches and shouting for his own way. I will delight in this moment. Robin is well on his way to becoming a boy.

 

Today I am also grateful for the decisions  that were made to bring me to Ogden, Utah.  I would have NEVER chosen to live here.  But, there is beauty all around this city, outdoor recreation abounds, and there are endless wonders for children to explore.