On the Run

As any parent knows, watching your child develop is pretty amazing. From the moment they 

breathe that first stinging breath, their little sponge brains are soaking up everything around them. I remember – when I was awake – holding this tiny girl and wondering what it would be like to see her walk and talk and become a person.

Well, I can tell you this… As wonderful as it is, it’s also tiring.

I know this is old news you seasoned parents, but this is truly a case of being careful what you wish for. I have to state out front that I’m not really complaining, rather pointing out a few things I’m realizing as Finley becomes a full-on toddler. She’s a great and amazing kid and I really wouldn’t have it any other way.

We thought it was pretty cool when she started rolling around. Crawling was a lot of fun and standing was impressive. But the world changes immensely when a kid learns to walk. Ditto for the mom and dad.

Obviously, more and more things have to be moved out of reach. Doors to bathrooms and entries to kitchens have to be shut and/or blocked. Because an upright and mobile child is also a curious and explorative child.

In the few months that Finley has become a walking and running toddler, I have learned two important tips… Wear tennis shoes and do back stretches. It’s amazing how fast she can go in just a few short feet. Depending on where we are and the safety factor of the surroundings, a Finley sprint is usually followed by the patented Daddy “Run-and-Scoop” (Which is why you need the back stretches).

And when she’s not running to get somewhere, she’s taking her sweet time looking at everything… usually when you need to get going. And then you have to chase her down when it’s time to go. (See “Run-and-Scoop” above).

This is always fun in the morning when it’s time to go to school. She thinks it’s pretty funny to go back and forth from her room while the Momma is loading up her bags and purses. And when we finally corral the little filly, Momma is so loaded down with luggage and a baby, I expect a Sherpa to pop out of the woodwork to help her to her car.

But it’s not always about chasing her down. The evolution of the child takes them from the ground, up… and when you reach the walking stage, the next step is climbing. I’m pretty sure she gets her monkey gene from me. I was quite the climber as a kid… To the point that my parents ended up putting me in a harness with a leash. It’s not actually a bad idea.

Finley has always been a little dare devil. She likes to stand on her toys or a box or anything she can climb on. She’ll pull herself onto a chair and slowly get to a standing position and look at us like she’s an acrobat in the circus, expecting us to applaud.

As much as I like seeing her perfecting her balancing skills, I know she’s going to take a tumble one of these days. In fact, we’re not so sure she won’t try to climb out of her crib. So, to be safe, we picked up a crib tent. It’s a pretty ingenious device that covers the top of the crib and not only prevents her from climbing up and out, but keeps her from tossing toys or blankets on to the baseboard heater.

But there’s only so much these preventative devices can do. They key is to keep an eye on her. And even though we try our best, we know she’s going to crash and burn one day. But as I’ve mentioned before, that’s the world of the toddler. You really can’t make it out of the toddler phase without a few skinned knees along the way.

And as far as the chasing goes... I really don’t mind. I just want her to get her speed up. Not so she can join the track team. No, I want her to get nice and fast for when those boys come around. No “Run-and-Scoop” lessons for them!