Warm and Long Days Again

It has been really nice to be able to go to the park again.Holly has been having such a lovely time and I feel like she is such a big girl.Here she is playing with Sarah at the park, our first time back for the season.Everything is so different now, she is able to climb all on her own up the platforms.She slides by herself, and here she is even trying to balance herself.We introduced Chloe to one of our favorite parks, and she was having a splendid time.Here is Holly rocking on the dino, she is able to climb up and rock by herself now.I don;t have to worry about her falling off the edge of the play structure anymore,Though sometimes I do, as she is a daredevil and likes to look aver the side.She had a lot of fun playing in the sand, she can scoop and shovel and build now.This is a new riding toy, an elephant which she quite enjoyed.Sara found a stroller to play with and pushed it all over the playground.I love this picture of Holly, she is stretching big holding onto the bar above the slide.One of the really neat things Holly does now is imitation, which is usually a very good thing.She is learning all kinds of new skills from her friends. Like reaching up and holding onto the bar.She is so curious about everything and is picking up new skills left and right and trying everything she sees.Here the girls are playing with a ball, Holly plays cooperatively now and will roll it back and forth.On this particular day Holly was having a blast with this old favorite.She pushed it back and forth up and down the ramp and was giddy to be running.Miss Chloe is making up a game of her own, one of the reasons this park is so much fun is all the toys.The kids find all kinds of cool things to play with, which is a lot of fun.I think this outfit makes Holly look so grown up, with the jeans and the hippy shirt.It was a gift from her granny who brought it back from Mexico.Here she is playing Ball again. She escaped from the park and wanted to go and visit the doggies.Here are Sara and Chloe having a battle of wits, both wanting the next turn with the ball.In the end, they both give in to Holly, it seems that for some reason they are less likely to fuss with her.I think it is because so much of the time she gives in when they want something, that they are more then happy to share, when she really wants something.I can't believe she is not only skilled, but also tall enough to reach the gate latch to leave the park on her own now.It is not a skill I am excited about, as are many, when they have to do with opening doors and climbing.I worry sometimes about her wandering off, it was something Joel did, and especially when she has her friends in pursuit.All together they get distracted and don't worry about where Mommy has gone too, so they play further out of sight.So far it hasn't been too much of a problem,though she has given me a few mild scares, she is so fast.I think staying by mommies side and listening when mommy says to stay is definitely a skill we will practice.Much like climbing this ramp for the first time, she will need to do it over and over again, before it sinks in.Luckily mommy is patient and has a watchful eye. Holly is determined and persistent too.She is starting to be at that age where she is expressing her defiance and Independence, I call it the troublesome tot, as she gets into all kinds of binds.Yet she is so endearing, I could never consider her to be "terrible" she is just too cute for that, even when she is doing what she has been told not to.