little baggariddim

i try not to use the term "killing time" anymore when it comes to keeping the boy engaged and occupied.

it connotes making minutes pass as quickly as possible, as if to get something unpleasant or boring out of the way.

i think i've come to prefer "filling the empty hour," which seems somewhat more positive with possibility and enrichment.

after all, aren't these the years parents wish they could have back when their children are older, then grown? why not make this time count?

(you can tell i'm writing this when i've not been sleep-deprived the past couple of days.)

this summer, filling those hours has been facilitated by a combination of the boy's increased mobility now that he walks, a blossoming of his curiosity, and the beginning of warm weather.

the boy loves being outside. if he's not out long enough to satiate his desire to pick up gravel and sticks and rearrange our yard, he gets very put out.

i get my exercise walking the boy in his backpack carrier. we began with long walks around the neighborhood, but lately have attached to them walks to the park, so as to tire his little ass out at the playground.

this week's festivall arts event provided yet another opportunity to get the boy out and about.

he got to experience more live music at the chili fest last weekend, then got to watch balloon dinosaurs get made, and today, he was able to bang drums to his heart's content.

having the great outdoors as a go-to for the boy to release pent-up energy has me already dreading winter in that it may well limit what we can do.

on the other hand, leaves and snow do offer other possibilities, don't they?

(i write this knowing the novelty of playing with a little boy may wear off. but i'm going to enjoy this as best i can while i can.)