The best laid plans

We got the G-man a slide for the backyard. While he slept one night, it was assembled and excitedly placed outside for discovery the next day. We pictured a big smile, a scamper to the little ladder, a kodak moment. When the time came, we opened the back door, brought him outside and saw him run...to the hose. It's been a week and he still barely looks at the slide, preferring to spend as much time as possible with the hose, reel and attachments.

One of the things I had a hard time getting used to in motherhood, and still do, is the fact that what I expect to happen rarely does. My visions of how our day will be seem more like schizophrenia than reality.

I should have known from the very start. The delivery was nothing like we planned: when I went into labor, the hospital we had pre-registered with, toured, taken classes at and pictured in our minds was full! We were diverted to one a few miles away. My OB was not on call so the backup delivered. The pediatrician we selected was not on call and his stand-in was another surprise. I was sure G-man would turn out to be a girl and a little boy popped out. It took three days to name him because the ones on our list we thought would come out on top didn't.

From my milk never coming in to his failure to nap, each day was a guessing game as to what could happen next. 

Still, I look forward to what he'll do at new experiences. But he never seems to react the way I thought he would! Instead of a basket full of eggs and eyes wide with wonder at the easter hunt, he pulled at some grass, took things out of another kid's basket and staunchly refused to allow me to put an egg in his. A visit to the zoo isn't filled with us making animal sounds and him squealing with delight at a panda. It's him finding a stick, exploring the wheels of his stroller and freaking out at the sea lion show. Touring the holiday lights? He cried, then fell asleep. Visiting a display of unique play houses that he can discover? Spent most of his time playing with water in a nearby fountain.

But the big thing is, even though these ideas don't turn out the way I thought they would, he doesn't know that. He had fun doing whatever it is that he did. Sure, he didn't notice the baby goats at the farm, but he couldn't get enough of ringing the cowbells. He shows me there is more to delight in than I thought. And that there will be so much more for him to enjoy as he finds something new at each turn.