Something funny and amazing happened this afternoon.
We are getting ready to go outside on a walk. I ask my daughter if she would like to bring her nature basket. She replies, simply and plainly, "No." I try my best sales tactics, but nothing changes her mind. We venture out, and I am in the process of brainstorming what on earth I am going to post about today when all of a sudden:
"Weaf!" she exclaims. Then, "Bye bye weaf!" and drops it back on the ground. Crestfallen, I continue to brainstorm. Meanwhile, my daughter continues to examine the ground.
"Rock!" she says, clear as day. I acknowledge, and ask if she would like to get her nature basket so we can put the rock into it. "No," she says again. "Bye bye, rock!" She stands again, and not even five steps later, bends down to pick up another leaf!
This time, however, she holds the leaf out for me. "Cake," she instructs, and I do as I am told. I hold the leaf in my hand and watch her again take about five steps and bend down. She rummages around in the grass for a few moments and then produces another leaf. "Weaf! Cake it." At this point, I place the two leaves carefully in my pocket.
Things continue this way down the block. My pocket contains three leaves and a toddler-sized handful of leaf stems. The cold is starting to sink in, so we head back towards the house. We walk another few steps and then my daughter decides to take a break, right in the dirt.
I watch her with amusement. She sticks her fingers in the cold dirt and looks off into the distance. Meanwhile, I am really beginning to freeze. I realize that I am going to have to get us some warmer outdoor gear. I finally coax my daughter up from her earthy meditation spot, and we hustle home. When we get inside, I pull the today's treasures out of my pocket and put them on the coffee table.
My daughter and I admire the artifacts together, and I realize that again there is a pattern! "Wow! What color are the leaves?" "Wed!" she says, happy to supply this information. I ask her if she would like to put the leaves into her nature basket. "No," she says.
I guess it doesn't really matter. I think she gets the point of the exercise. Looks like my new warm coat is going to need some big pockets.
