The Park

Travis, like most little boys, LOVES to be outside. Now that the weather in Arizona is finally a cool and comfortable 80 degrees, we finally have a chance to go to the park! Our very family friendly neighborhood has both an elementary school and a park, both within a five minute walk. Most weeks, we try to walk to the park at least once.

The swings at sunrise

Though Travis is still a little small for most of the playground equipment, he's learning to enjoy playing in the sand, yelling "dirt!" as it slips through his fingers.  So far, the few times we've been to the park, he's stayed pretty close to me, a little tentative of his surroundings and just happy to be outside.

In the last week or so, Travis has very definitely entered The Terrible Twos. He has become more defiant, challenging everything we say, running away giggling and hiding at the simplest of requests - diapers, dinner, you name it.  I know that in the past, when Travis is acting out and is very frustrated, its usually because he's bored; less stimulated by his toys, less interested in his surroundings, and these are prime times to head to the park. We get some fresh air, he gets to run his little legs off until he passes out on the walk home, and I get a few hours of quiet time while he naps.

And that's where I'm stuck.  I want so badly to take him to the park right now, but I feel like I can't take him alone. If he runs into the grass, I can't get to him easily. If he runs into the sand, I can't get to him at all. He can't climb the playground equipment (yet!) so that's still safe, but if something were to happen - if he fell, if he got stuck - we're both stranded.

This is just one of the frustrations I've encountered, being a mom on wheels. There are places I would love to take him, things I would love to do, that are just plain off limits for me. We can go to the park as a family, and I feel much more comfortable having Matt there to help corral a toddler, but they play on the slide and I watch the diaper bag.

 

Our pumpkin patch trip was similarly frustrating. Thankfully, it hadn't rained recently, so the ground was hard and dusty and I was able to get around in the dirt, but the mini hay maze? Off limits to Mom. The Petting Zoo? Not accessible. (And covered in animal poo, so that one was OK by me). The owners were really accommodating as far as getting me on the hayride and to the pumpkins, but our planned day of fun on the farm was pretty much "pick a pumpkin, go home" because there just wasn't anything else I could do too.

I know there are things to do around here that are more inclusive - the zoo, the splash pads, the railroad park, etc. But when the things Travis loves are things I can't participate in as easily, it makes it hard to sit on the sidelines.