The Toddler Cell

In an futile attempt to exhaust my tireless daughter, I forced Bumper to walk home from the library today. For the record: no nap, not even a whiff of one showed itself after the walk. Apparently I need to start dropping her farther from home. Cleveland, perhaps?

Anyhow, it's not like she needed any convincing, she loves her freedom. *sigh* Yes Dad, I carried her across the street. I figured the snow banks (albeit dirty) keep her from doing a runner on the two most important sides. Backwards? pfft - I can deal with that.

Yes, my little girl is a certified prison break expert and by golly, she will run like a greyhound. And just like a greyhound, she runs like some just screamed FREE CHOCOLATE - all done without ever looking back over her shoulder.

It's highly possible that she might only pull "the runner" with me and that might be related to the fact that she has been able to successfully take me down since she was 12 weeks old.

Also when she went v1.0 [mobility] - I have always chased when provoked. Perhaps I shouldn't have chased so much when this started happening. Yup, that woulda learn'd her real good. Good golly, the kid would probably still be in High Park living with the squirrels and peacocks if she had her way.

It's just Bumper's world is so alive and she is currently under the impression that it is all MINE! MINE! MINE!. She MUST run out and touch, test, and taste it all.

Before you all think I'm a hard-a** who doesn't recognize the beauty that abounds in Bumper's eyes - the snow! the trees! the dogs! the poop! Everything is amazing, as it should be! [I firmly believe everything that courses through a toddler's head is punctuated with exclamation points. Periods come with cynicism] - honestly, motherbumper is not a cynic who thinks every wonderfully crazy thing my amazing child does is punishment for the sins of my childhood.

I'm only like that 75% of the time. The other 25% is high in cholesterol and must be taken in small doses, lest you run the risk of od'ing on Hallmark-worthy platitudes and t-shirt worthy one-liners.

Frankly, I do drink up everything that can be glimpsed in her toddler world. Switching from parent to toddler mode requires a total mindf**k brain reset that, when found, is highly enjoyable. It's easy to find and lock into and very Zen-like (or so I imagine, never being one to actually have the pleasure of finding Zen. Nemo but no Zen.). It makes playtime fun, the mundane exciting, chores tolerable, and responsibility seem like something worth taking on.

Anyhow, being toddler with my toddler, well I must take advantage because when else would I get this opportunity? You know, to do it with ID and money.

Before I totally lose the brass ring symbolizing the actual point of this post (unless that was it, which it may have been) today Bumper taught me with a classic turn on, tune in, drop out style.

Being an adult always in a rush to get home allowed me to miss the music of the sculpture that stands in "our Narnia park". A set of large brass rings with brass shapes that hang off chains around a post. They make wind chime music in the wind (which would be the weather norm on that street). I've never stood around long enough to notice.

Bells Mommy! Bells!

Never heard them before and I know they aren't new.

It is stunning what you experience when making butt snow angels with the most amazing person you have ever met.

Don't forget to teach me everything, okay Bumper?