P becomes a skateboarder

Today was one of those perfect days. The ones that just flow, filled by happiness, not contrived or calculated. Seems like some of our weekends are plotted, planned for fun. But that pull is annoying compared to the days that just... go. Add to it wonderful weather, fab family and the sweetest city ever and its perfection.

Of course, the lack of forethought meant no camera, and I would have paid a pretty penny to have video capabilities today instead of shitty iphone photos... Ah, well :)

The day led us to Seth and Alicia, who led us to Paragon, which led us to buy a skateboard for P, leading us all to the open spot in Union Square, seriously adored by city skateboarders. Ian and Kendra joined us as we all lazed about, then ran about the square, while P figured out how to ride. Honestly, though the child has chatted about getting a board for a few years (you can see P practicing his early moves here), I really figured we were a while away from full on skateboard-ness. Even after the purchase, I was planning in my head where we would store it until he was really ready. But sweet, sweet Seth skated back and forth and back and forth in the square, helping P feel his way. Then Ian took turns, and Alicia pulled him along, then Kendra too... Ahhh, to be Phoenix and be so supported :) And then the kid figured a fix, a way to zoom independently and then move to a stand. This, of course, brought one of my favorite beams - the one that he is trying to cover but just can't because he's so pleased with himself. I was still a little surprised that he hadn't broken bones and gotten bored. Even though the kid has been standing on the back of our big scooter for the last month, riding with no hands, just to better his balance for boarding. Sometimes Mama's are so slow...

So he used it like a surfboard, riding on his belly, then standing. Sliding it on his knees, then rising up. Then he figured out how to stand on it and push with one foot, just like his Uncles. Big beam. E commented on unschooling in action. Nobody was shouting directions. The kid was watching, listening, and then inventing ways to make his body and board do what he wanted. It was cool.

And then it wasn't :) His focus was over at this point and he was getting jumpy (literally, jumping on his loves) so we switched it up and played on the playground next door. The enormous stainless steel dome was as enticing to his Uncles as it was to him and the other children :) Of course, they are clever and inventive and soon enough planted seeds in small heads that some parents didn't appreciate... but P saw nothing unusual with an Uncle sliding down the dome sideways...



Then they had to set some more good examples on other pieces of equipment. Mothers everywhere loved us today :)



By this point, the day had gotten away from us all and, having accidentally traded lunch for fun, dinner was calling. But, then we found a musician and stopped to listen just long enough for P to hatch a plan. He's seen many a skateboarder ride down the stairs in Union Square. And now he was a skateboarder, so he could ride down the stairs....

I was still surprised he was standing on the damn thing. Skateboarding is hard. But he was determined. First, it was just one stair, over and over. Then he added a second, then a third, until he was doing all of the stairs he could clear people off of. I love watching him when he is this focused. When he finds the perfect challenge. Over and over he rode down the set of stairs. Then he took his wee little butt and rode his board to our destination, followed by the "oh my gawd - how cute!"'s of girl groups sitting in the square. I don't know if he heard any of them or not, but, biased or no, I had to agree :)