I have written before about how I have grown to believe that one of the greatest gifts of parenthood is watching a child discover the things that surround him in this world. On Tuesday, Daddy Q and I got to witness our little boy set his sights on something that completely fascinates him and problem-solve his way to see it up close and personal. The look on his face said it all and tought us both that a little dirt, rough concrete, and the fear of him hurting his sweet little chin if he stumbles (he didn't ;-) shouldn't preclude us from letting him discover something new and fasinating.
Since the waterfall was installed, Baby O loves for us to lift him over it so that he can run his hands through the top where the water spouts up. Finally, we let him down to crawl around the patio figuring that if the concrete hurt too bad--he wouldn't crawl. Why "protect" him from something that isn't really dangerous? What is the harm in a roughed-up knee if little man doesn't mind?
He immediately shot over to the waterfall and froze in awe. He sat on the solid stone in front of the fountain for a good five minutes, and then began working to get closer. He would lift his hand to try a stone...too slippery...try again...too wobbly...try again...too slippery AND too wobbly. Finally, he applied more pressure and found that it might hold him. He got a few inches closer...
Once here, he sat again for another couple of minutes staring at the water, and then set out to get a few inches closer. There, he tried to reach out for the falling water. It splashed in his face when he touched the vase. Wow. He began to move his hand into and out of the water--feeling it rush through his fingers, sprinkle his face, and make more splash.
Baby O was tranfixed. It was truly an amazing thing to witness. When he had enough, he backed himself back out of there...
...and moved on to "pet" the dog...another facinating discovery that we didn't let him spend as much time on ;-)
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