Dear Io,
In the last couple of months you’ve made some big changes. Being almost two and all (23 months!) you were due for some leave-babyhood-behind moments. Actually, you are a full blown toddler. Tantrums, mood swings, exciting and hilarious words everyday (chicken butt?), plus some over the top cuteness.
The most welcome change? You have started to play solo. For 10 or maybe 20 minutes here and there you will settle into some sort of quiet space, doing this and that, milling around picking plants or sorting the gravel. When Leif first made this transition I panicked a little bit. “He’s just playing alone! He needs stimulation! Is he feeling neglected?!”.
I know better now. It’s one of my most favorite-est moments of the day. Watching you just be yourself in the world. Inside your thoughts in the most still and peaceful way. Moving from this thing to that thing, totally at ease.
Being alone is a wonderful and much missed feeling for me. Those times are far and few between at this stage in my life but it’s an easy thing for me to sacrifice. I know in the future I’ll have plenty of alone time (while pining for your babyhood) and I will treasure those moments with new appreciation.
I hope you can share in the gratitude for being alone. Especially for us girls, it comes with some inner and outer judgement that can be unsettling. In the meantime, I will just admire your fleeting moments of quiet play and do my best to preserve that magic.
Love,
Mama
