Pretending

Gavin may have tried to run away from home for the first and hopefully last time today. Actually, I think he was just exerting some independence through a pretend scenario. He was carrying around a bucket of toys while waving and saying bye to everything. Then I'd hear him walk to the back door and knock on it. I finally told him he couldn't leave until I had a kiss goodbye.

Someone recently asked if Gavin was always hyper. To be honest, I didn't know how to answer because I had never thought of him that way. I mean, I teach kindergarten, I should know hyper. Granted, at the time the question was proposed he was having a great time, therefore, a little more excitable than usual, but not far from his usual self. I'm realizing more and more that this kid has loads of personality and it just shines through, mainly through that smile, but also in how quickly he warms up to people and especially in how he knows how to have a good time whether he is playing with one person or scores of people/animals in his pretend world.

Since being home for the summer, I have come to embrace that stepping into the pretend world via the mind of a two-year old can be liberating. In this world it's okay to build a cage made of blocks where a tiger, dinosaur and a hermit crab can live happily together. It's also acceptable to dance to a song about fruit like no one over three feet tall is watching. I may have to close that gym membership since we danced furiously for thirty minutes, part of that was merely running around the house. Then we later played chase while I vacuumed. Good times.

And that's exactly what it's been- good times. From making chocolate dipped strawberries filled with cream cheese to reading books sitting side by side, my shadow has not been lonely. Today was full of the little moments that added up to much.