So, it all started a week ago. After days in the house and an infinity on the floor I masterminded an escape plan. Picnic packed the night before, everything set by the door for an easy slide to the scooter (all in a great blast of unprecedented preplanning and organization) I tempted P with castles and treasure and he took the bait!
He Loves the book "The great Gracie escape." He realized one of his stuffed dogs even looks like Gracie Rose and thus she has been dubbed. So with Gracie in his backpack, the picnic, and BB in mine, we set off for Central Park. (Baby Brother and Gracie Rose are kinda the yin and yang of toys for P. BB is a tad confrontational and a bit of a rabble rouser while Gracie is a gentle soul, soft and not easily annoyed. The kind of friend that often elicits an "I love you Gracie Rose" from P's lips vs a "does this weawy hurt?")
As we headed out, P told me he was really nervous someone was going to separate us on a train. That they would grab him and push him on the tracks or take him away to their house :( This, apparently, is behind his enormous hesitation to go places! Poor kid - that's a pretty intense scenario, and he was genuinely concerned. So the entire train trip we schemed a machine that would protect P, ala Dr. Seuss's Utterly Sputter in "The Butter Battle Book." This imaginary creation outlasted the uptown train and carried us through our entire scoot and picnic; mechanical mental fabrications being P's forte and all :)
We ate in the grass while P created and then wrestled for a bit before running amok on the water castle. This stone-like structure has a raised wall "moat" of water all the way around it, sprinklers in the middle, and slides and turrets and crawl spaces too. P flew off of the moat and splashed around but was disappointed I didn't have water shoes, which placed me a whole 3 feet away from him. After a misjudged flight off of a high space (see Jumper post) he was ready to move onto the slide and tire swing. And, I kid you not, the child spun in circles until I was sick, just from watching. Eventually a kid camp had the playground busting at its seams and we escaped for some rock climbing. I love that this concrete jungle has great climbing for kids - P was in heaven.
Tired and ready for a relaxing scoot, P wanted to head to Belvedere Castle. He was just sure he'd find some treasure there. The scoot was sooo lovely, past the carousel ("No thank you. Maybe another time Mama. Let's go to the castle"), the lively bandshell, the boathouse where P listened to a violinist and gazed at the water,
and then on through the Ramble. P was sure there were Pirates after us at this point. So, despite his afternoon sleepies, he ears were on full alert :)
At the castle, we chatted with the watchman and then climbed to the top. P only half glanced around and it was then that I realized he was Really after that treasure now, screw the view. We descended and the weary P again chatted with the watchman. The old man suddenly reached into his drawer and drew out a golden star and deputized P as protector of the flowers and trees right then and there. P was fairly speechless, and I felt bad for the old guy, he couldn't tell it was a happy speechless, seeing how a blank stare can be taken so many different ways :)
As is his regular reaction to overwhelmingly happy feelings, P had to go outside and sit there quietly mulling things over for a few minutes. Then he said, "You glad he gave me this treasure? I'm so glad he gave me this treasure. Why he give me this treasure, Mama?"
After we picked E up from work, P proudly showed Papa his treasure over dinner. He really believes that what you wish for comes true, and the world, so far, keeps answering his optimism with mini miracles... As for me, it was a miracle to spend the day, for the most part, as myself :)
No comments:
Post a Comment