My Son John: A Fun Day

Dear Jack,

The first time I took you and your sister out by myself was to a place called Jungle Java. It's also where we spent the last day of summer last year.

It has been a long time since we've been there (all school year actually) and given the combination of their surge in popularity, their inability to keep consistent hours, and the inferior coffee, we may not be going back any time soon.

But I was glad that we went there today.

You had a blast. You crawled and inched around the baby area for over an hour. You pulled up on the slide and the lion and the walls and the mesh. You played with the beads and the balls. It was the most fun I had seen you have away from home.

It's interesting to me to see the change... in you, in me, and even in your sister as outings become increasingly about your enjoyment.

It's interesting for you because up until now, you had been content to chill out in your stroller, or the Baby Bjorn while your sister played and had fun. These days, though, you want in on the fun and are taking an active interest in what we do and where we go, and not just how many animal crackers we bring with us.

It's interesting for me because I have the challenge of finding things that entertain both a three and a half year old and an almost one year old. I also get to decide to enjoy a day like today with you even when your sister (who, to be fair, just wanted to play with you but Jungle Java's baby area is for kids under the age of three and she was just too big) isn't having a good time.

It's interesting for your sister because it may be slowly dawning on her that everything isn't about her. Sometimes we do things that she wants that aren't all that fun for you. But sometimes, now that you are older and have opinions, we will do things that you think are fun even if she isn't that interested.

Happily, though, you both agreed that the Hazen's neighborhood pool was the best thing ever.