Nothing is to hard for....

MOMMY & L!!!!

Yesterday L wanted to go to the park, I needed to go for a run. Joe was busy so I bit the bullet put her in the dreaded jogging stroller and laced up the Adidas (that's right folks I live in Nike territory and wear the enemy). My jogging stroller is actually quite spectacular. It is the beloved, cult like followed BOB Revolution. We bought it not because of it's amazing turn radias, not because it glides like butter, or super easy fold, or it's amazing shocks and all terrain ability. But for the simple fact it was a jogging stroller. We both run and wanted to purchase ONE stroller that we could jog with, and use for everyday use. The BOB had good reviews and was sold at REI, we were sold. I can't tell you my shock the first time I went to Baby Group and every other person there had the same stroller.

I digress. What I didn't realize at the purchase of the BOB was that running with a stroller, no matter how grand, is HELLISH. In the two and half years L has been with us I have probably ran with the BOB seven times. Joe has used it more frequently, but he runs during L's nap time so unless she is awake he goes solo. IT IS SO HARD!

Every kid has their own unique personality and L very clearly has her own. She is an amazingly intriguing little girl who's imagination never ceases to amaze me. And if you read this blog at all you probably can tell we are a bit bedazzled by her. But L is not a risk taker. L is not an adventurer. If she tries and gets hurt once she is out for the count-L never forgets anything so I mean really one bad experince equals never try again. It drives me nuts.

I am not even sure why she likes to go to parks that don't have sand/water areas. She wont go on any of the play equipment. She feels offended to be put in a baby swing, "I am a BIG girl!" But fell off the big girl swing last fall. She tried climbing on some equipment last spring got stuck and now hates heights. A few months ago she tried going head first down a tube slide got spit out and skidded across the bark chips.

But again I digress from our storry:
So I am pushing L in the stroller, jogging along, listening to her chant "Go FASTER, Mommy! Daddy runs faster. Go FASTER, Mommy!" When I get to a hill, um a small hill, but I make myself  run, pushing the BOB up to the top. When we get to the top I think I am going to die and started to slowly walk, When L says, "To hard Mommy, have to stop running?"

And that right there sums up why being a parent can be rather difficult. Cause our kids don't learn by us saying things like "Never give up", "You got to push through even when it is difficult", "Persevere". They learn by what we do in any given circumstance. Our words are meaningless if our actions don't follow them. So I say, "No, L just catching my breath. It is hard to push the stroller and run, but I am  going to keep trying. When things are hard we always have to keep trying."

So I am running along again, L is doing her faster chant and it hits me I could use this to get L over her fear of the park. She often will use the word "hard" to not do things she is scared of. She knows both words but if a physical action is required she will say "Going down the slide is too hard." If she is talking of only the slide she says, "the slide is scary."

So I pant, "Hey L when we get to the park want to go down the slide?"
L: "No, going down the slide is too hard."
Me: "But you know how running for me right now is really hard, and I am still doing it? We do things even when they are hard because that is the only way to make them easier. Think you can try the slide?"
L: "No, slide too hard."
Me: "But L you are forgetting something really important."
L: "What?"
Me: "NOTHING IS TO HARD FOR MOMMY & L! Say it with me!
Together: "NOTHING IS TO HARD FOR MOMMY & L!"
And again together: "NOTHING IS TO HARD FOR MOMMY & L!"
 And again, and again, we shouted and chanted that phrase. And let me tell you running and talking is not really easy. Running, talking and pushing the BOB is even harder, and  continuous shouting pretty much makes it impossible to every regulate one's breath. But if I stopped chanting I was asked, "Mommy, too hard?" It is amazing what we can push ourselves to do for our kids.

So at the park L wasn't so sure but willing to try. She went on the tire swing (yeah for being at a park with an alternative swing option). When I asked if she wanted to play on the small equipment she gulped and said if I went too. We climbed together, at times I carried her, but soon she was giggling and wanting to do it her self. Then I pulled out the big guns and asked if she wanted to go down the little slide. She started to say no, but I started chanting so she consented if she went on my lap. We went, she liked it, we went again, and again and again. Finally, I told her that my turn was up on the slide and she was going to have to do it by herself. I told her I would stand right at the side and let nothing happen to her. She went and LOVED it. She went over and over again. She was still hesitant to go on the big equipment or go down the big slide but she tried it if I went with her. I didn't push going alone cause I didn't want to push her too much this time. I really did just want her to have fun.

Then it was time to leave.

And then we ran home chanting the whole way.