not just a color...

Today Henry and I went to a park we hadn't really been to since the end of last winter. Turns out it is still one of his favorites. We chased each other and ran and crawled through tunnels and played on the swings and jungle gym until we were drenched in sweat. We stopped and rested for a while in the shade and drank some water. Then we played some more, ran up the slides and slid down them, hopped down stairs, climbed up hills and scooted sideways down them. At one point Henry just crawled under the platform of one of the play structures and laid down on the ground in the shade for a rest. But he still didn't want to leave when I asked him. About the only thing that made him decide to leave was the prospect of getting to "drive the vroom vroom." (pretend to drive the van) I wonder what passersby think when they see a little person comfortably at the helm of a 3/4 ton conversion van with a 50's style straw fedora on and a grown man sitting behind him in a car seat holding a sippy cup...hmmmm.

Anyway when we finally got home we had a snack. I decided to try out something new along with his usuals (cheerios, graham crackers, juice, yogurt, etc) so I brought over a HUGE ripe orange on a plate and sat down next to him as I began to cut it. Curious and interested he sat down very close next to me and pointed, "Punkin Bapa?" "No, it's not a pumpkin mr. henry, it's an orange." He just sort of looked at me puzzled. I could see that he was trying to process our recent work with colors; trying to resolve the conflict of the color orange on a page with this sweet-smelling thing in front of him. He poked his finger into the flesh of one of the pieces I had already cut and put it in his mouth. A wave of happiness washed over his face. "More orange Bapa" he said quickly and began devouring the slices. Even after accidentally biting some of the rine off and chewing it up, he didn't even slow down. He was hooked and dedicated. After only a few pieces his face, hands, arms, lap, and bare feet were covered in sticky juice and he was in heaven. After seeing Henry's ravenous attack on the fruit I decided I deserved a piece for my troubles. I popped one of the slices in my mouth and said, "mmmmmm." Henry stopped what he was doing, looked me in the eye and very seriously told me, "Henmy eat whole ting Bapa." The kid wasn't messing around. I didn't eat anymore after that.

Henry is so amazing to me. It's impossible to document all the things he does that amaze me every day. I guess as a parent you just eventually accept the fact that you are going to be amazed for the rest of your life by things that may not even be that amazing to other people. I will no doubt be amazed again with every awesome new "orange" Henry discovers. -W