Slide Bowling

One of the things I will miss most about VA is the friendships we have made.  And I don't mean just my friendships.  I will truly miss the friendships that Doodle has made.  It has been wonderful to help her understand how to be a friend and to watch her love her friends and see them as part of her family.  It has also been really fun to see how different friends bring out different qualities in her personality.  A few weeks ago we were at Landlord's house playing with Eldest and Youngest and was struck by how Eldest has really encouraged Doodle to be and explorer!  Eldest, who recently turned the ripe old age of 5, is always ready to explore something, a bug, a tree, the dry pond, anything the sparks her curiosity.  That love of discovery funnels down to Doodle and she is willing to follow Eldest to the ends of the Earth.  Okay, well at least to the end of the neighborhood dry pond.  After the kids had finished an exploring session, they turned their attention to the slide.  As moms do, Landlord and I began talking and pretty much ignored the kids since there was no screaming, crying, or whining involved.  When we decided to be attentive parents a few minutes later I was horrified to find Doodle going down the slide on her belly head first and plowing into Eldest's and Youngest's shins.  Now, don't stress out too much.  It is a 2 ft long slide and there was no momentum behind my tiny one.  As I opened my mouth to give Doodle a strong correction, Landlord grabbed my arm and tried not to laugh out loud.  "They are bowling" she said through stifled giggles.  And sure enough as we watched the three of them took turns being the "ball" and the "pins".  It was pretty fantastic.  As I looked at the pictures I realize that as Eldest has grown and matured, she is teaching Doodle to play imaginary games like "slide bowling" and "giant panda".  And because it is happing in the back yard, I get so see it and smile.  It also struck me how much we will miss them when our time here is done.  

April 9 (264/365)