Tunnel Vision

What an exciting morning. After working out I treated Quinn to a trip to the park. I told him on the way and the rest of the way there he kept saying, "ark. ark. please. ark." And then when we finally got to the park he started saying, "yes. ark. yes. yes. please. yes." Just that alone was enough reason for us to go! While at the park he was SO happy! Doing the toddler jog from swing, to rocking horse, and finally to the slides! He's been going down slides for some time now all by himself, but not the tunnel slide. So, today he decided to try it. He climbed up - looked into the tunnel slide - and said "please." So I thought, sure, why not? I helped him in, told him to wait for mommy, then I ran around to catch him on the way down. Now, the nice thing about this park is that the slides are designed so that you really don't have to catch anyone. There's a nice long slow down at the bottom of the slides so kids can't just go flying off. After figuring out this slide was just like the others in that sense I was able to relax a little bit about Quinn sliding down before I was ready to catch. He really LOVED the tunnel slide - I wish I could have recorded his laughter. I had to help him get in it the first 6-9 times, but then he figured out to stand and use the little handles above to get his feet in - and all of a sudden he's doing the whole thing by HIMSELF. I couldn't believe it. He went down that slide at least 20 more times by himself. Laughing the whole time and shaking his head no when I'd offer him a hand. On the way home I was so excited about his new found independence and willingness to try new things I called Mike. Quinn talked to him on the phone and said, "Da. Ark." And then laughed!
I think today's the day my baby is no longer a baby.