I recently wrote about how we obtained a miniature version of our full sized John Deere Gator for the two little boys (see post here). My now 4 y/o's wish was to "ride my gator all over like we do the big gator." So the adventure begins! I decided it would be best to follow along in the full sized gator so that if the boys got stuck, or the battery ran dead I could at least "tow" them home. So off we went into the sunset, the boys thought they were grown I'm sure as they independently took off down a fence row into the great wild unknown (otherwise known as our neighbor's field). I followed along a safe distance behind letting them maneuver the mud, fence lines and other wiley dangers. I laughed along the entire ride watching these two.
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Along the way there was a rut or two that got them stuck (mom to the rescue) but for the most part they did quite well. My 4 y/o could be heard showing his almost 2 year old brother the ropes, "This is how you go REALLY FAST" and "WATCH OUT FOR THE BRANCHES!" Because we had spent so much time over the summer cruising around in our "Big Gator" as the boys call it, they knew where to go and what to do.
As I coasted along ever so slowly a few measures behind it struck me that this was a sample of what life would likely continue to be. Mom and Dad teaching them about things along the way, learning to let go and hang back so that they could practice the skills they had been taught, and watching it all unfold...the laughs from their antics, the ruts that get them stuck (mom and dad to the rescue), the whole beautiful mess.
Its funny, I never started out wanting a "large" family, I figured I just wanted 1 or 2 children. But, oh the joy they bring. It is moments like these that I think what I would have missed out on if I let the world's view of the perfect family size dictate how many children we had, these two are a hoot!
As I coasted along ever so slowly a few measures behind it struck me that this was a sample of what life would likely continue to be. Mom and Dad teaching them about things along the way, learning to let go and hang back so that they could practice the skills they had been taught, and watching it all unfold...the laughs from their antics, the ruts that get them stuck (mom and dad to the rescue), the whole beautiful mess.
Its funny, I never started out wanting a "large" family, I figured I just wanted 1 or 2 children. But, oh the joy they bring. It is moments like these that I think what I would have missed out on if I let the world's view of the perfect family size dictate how many children we had, these two are a hoot!
