She Loves to Swing…

Facebook reminded me today that four years ago Lillian and I were also in a park, doing just what she is doing in the picture above. Her school was off today (they probably did not want the kids caught between warring Trump and Clinton supporters) and we spent an afternoon swinging, playing Pokemon Go (she is a profligate user of my hard-earned Pokeballs) and eating ice cream. There is no greater joy than a simple afternoon in the park with Lillian.

Lillian Visits!

After a very difficult week, there is no better medicine than to pick up a certain six-year old and spend some time swinging (an old favorite activity) and visiting Pokestops and catching Pokemon (a new favorite). 

She is having fun at her new school, making friends and learning lots of stuff. I’m not sure exactly what, since six-year olds quickly lose patience with the earnest interrogations of their grandparents. But we have learned that her favorite part of school is art. At least it was at the moment she answered the question. 

Back when we started this blog, we made regular posts on gains in weight of a gram or two, and other vital stats. Now, these get measured once a year, and with less concern for precision. But she is growing as she should and is in the 50th percentile in height and 20th in weight. Approximately. 

Climbing at the Park

Lillian and her great grandmother and I spent the afternoon at one of our favorite small parks, Stein Family Park, on the banks of Braes Bayou. Lilz discovered she could climb the rock wall without help, and spent much of our time there going up it and coming back down via slide.

Not quite as exciting as her Saturday at the Renaissance Festival riding camels and flying through the air, but pretty good for a Monday.

Waking the Dryads

Today at the park, Lillian picked up a stick and walked around the park, carefully tapping on each tree. I suspect she was trying to get the tree nymphs to wake up and come out to play.

Girl of Summer

Walking in the Park

On the last day of May, Lillian and I went for a walk at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center in Memorial Park. Lillian’s theory of walking has two parts: 1) run, stopping when there is something interesting to look at like a bug or a stick or a flower; 2) get grandpa to carry her when she’s done running.

 

Climbing

Lillian’s at the park with Lauren, climbing.

Thrill-Seeker

Lillian and I visited another park today, just up the street from her house — Karl Young Park — lots of fun stuff to climb and swing on, a big sand pit and these cool dirt bike rides that captured Lilz’s imagination.

A Girl and her Shadow

Most mornings, Lillian and I head out for a park and a playground. This morning, a lovely, crisp day, the sort of day that we get in Houston only about five times a year, Lillian wanted to wander, and so we did.

She took her shadow along with us, and they spent the morning pointing to things, and I spent the morning naming things. We looked at leaves and acorns, trees and picnic tables, pickup trucks and garbage cans. Lillian is interested in everything: the beautiful and the mundane.

In one of Lili’s alphabet books, we read that U is for Upside Down, and it’s illustrated with a picture of a boy standing on his head; Lillian is fascinated with the concept. She wedges herself into the corner of the couch and tries to stand on her own head and she has you hold her upside down as often as she can. Seeing her delight in her explorations and discoveries is immensely entertaining.

She has added the words “walk” and “run” to her vocabulary; her grandfather is happy to hear the word “walk” — and not quite as happy to hear the word “run”. People keep telling me that little ones will keep you young, but I find that they mostly remind you that you aren’t, anymore. But they do make you laugh, and that is a good thing.

Lillian, Nancy and Holly At the Park: A Video

Even in the midst of great sadness, there are few things more joyful than an afternoon in the park with Lillian.

Nancy and her sister Holly manage to get up to a bit of foolishness. We laughed a lot.