Is there anything more fun than observing the wonder of new discoveries in a toddler? If you need a dose of joy, follow a toddler, defined by Merriam-Webster as “a young child who is just learning to walk.” Wikipedia states that “a toddler is a child 12 to 36 months of age.” I prefer Wikipedia’s version. That makes me a crazy-in-love grandmother with two toddler grandchildren–one boy two years old and one girl 16 months old. They are a hoot to watch.
The best place to observe is outdoors. Recently my grandson came for a visit, and since he lives in the city, our country home with its wide open spaces drew him like honeybees to blooming redbud trees. My parents live next door and when he spotted Peepaw’s varied collection of tractors, lawn mowers, and golf carts, he took off across their large yard like a stray dog caught eating cat food. My son had to break into a run to catch him, because you know, out here, there are many dangers like wasps, snakes, and rusty nails that you don’t encounter where they live.
The little guy just couldn’t get to everything he wanted to see fast enough. He flitted from one machine to the next, from one cat to the next, from one pile of dirt to the next. We set him on mowers, tractors, trailers, and let him walk into Peepaw’s shop. He chased the two cats, who are savvy enough to hide from him. A couple of times I had to grab him before he got hurt or found an unfriendly insect or two, and he let me know his feelings about that in no uncertain terms.
| Our grandson with his Pop. He can’t wait to get down and run! |
The visit ended too quickly, but now he is old enough to remember Pop and Coco’s and Peepaw and Meemaw’s houses out in the country, and no doubt soon he will be reminding his parents to bring him more often. We can hope, at least.
There was a Hasbro TV commercial back in the 70’s that said, “Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down.” Well, toddlers toddle. . .and they don’t slow down!
April Coker, Author 