Wild at Heart

Zane has been dying to get out of the house now that I've started student teaching. Mitch has been in Washington still, so it has been hard to find time to still allow Zane to act on his own natural tendencies when I feel like I've got so much to do.

Zane is in desperate need of a hair cut and some one-on-one time with Mitch. It's gotten to the point where he has started to get angry if Mitch calls but doesn't Facetime. Anytime he finds a remote, or a phone, or anything that looks semi-electronic, like his thermometer, he will pull it up to his ear and beaming from ear to ear, sweetly say, "Hi dada!" It's adorable and heartbreaking at the same time.

Today we went to the park and Zane got to play and do whatever he wanted. I just sat back and watched him interact with everything. He is walking now completely on his own, and it is so interesting to see where he chooses to go and what he is attracted to. Today, he wanted to hug every single pole on the jungle gym, as if thanking it for getting him out of the house finally. He also wanted to sit right in front of this great big tree (last picture) and just watch other people. I let him sit there and people watch, one of my favorite past-times. He just sat and looked around, offering me roots, branches, and dried out needles.

Now that he is walking on his own, Zane also surprised me by climbing up onto the toys and going down the slide completely by himself! He climbed up all of the obstacles, sat himself down on the slide, put his legs out in front of him, and scooted himself down. Man, you start walking and all of a sudden you don't even need your mom around anymore. Another little bittersweet moment of the week that made me realize just how much more of an observer I'll become in the years to come.

Zaney, even though you've stayed in your pajamas every day this week and have had a different babysitter every day, just know that I am doing all of this for you! I love you, dearly.