Monday, October 12, 2009

The great pumpkin (patch)

Cool breezes, leaves on the ground, and big, orange pumpkins growing on the vine. Yes, it's the day we go to the pumpkin patch. Our admission pays for a hayride, a pumpkin to take home with us (carving is in our near future), a huge "fun" slide, corn maze and petting zoo. The petting zoo consists of goats - they do not smell good.

This is an event my kids look forward to all year. It's one of those activities that my oldest is about to outgrow, which makes it even more special to go together this one last year. The hardest part of watching my child go is the blase way she treats many of the outings that once brought her so much joy and wonder. And I want to ask her to keep some of her opinions to herself: her younger sib still finds the utmost joy in running through the dirty rows, looking for just the right gourd to bring home. Like most everything else in my life, I'm finding this, too, is a balancing act. I must let my oldest explore her growing identity - which is completely separate from me - while still nurturing (and loving) those moments with my younger child.

Whoever said parenting was easy?

No comments:

Post a Comment