One of those days

Actually, one of those fantastic days.

Spring has been a long time coming to Northwest Ohio this year. While we avoided too much snow, the lows continued to fall into the 20's even though it is April. 

But on April 4, the temps finally hit the 50's, and with some sunshine and daylight past 8 p.m., if you squinted you might think it was finally spring.

But the fantastic component of this day was not that it looked/felt like spring, but what this weather permitted...and after-dinner walk with my youngest grandson.

Last summer/early fall, when Lukas Robert was just over a year and just starting to take some unsteady steps, I would ask him if he wanted to take a walk.  He would enthusiastically grunt and, armed with two pacifiers (should one get sullied falling on the ground), we would take our walk up two blocks, over to the next street, down two blocks and around the corner back home.  Lukas had taught me last year that he did not like strollers, so I would always carry him, and we would watch and listen for dogs, pluck a couple leaves off a tree (him more than me), and after reaching the apex of our walk, Lucas would put his head on my shoulder (sometime with a little prompting from his grandfather).  I would hum or sing or talk slowly in a soothing voice to him, and, unless distracted by the sound of a barking dog he had to see, or unless the sun shone too brightly in his eyes, he would predominantly cuddle with me most of the way home with his head on my shoulder.

It was always a magical time for me: just me and Lukas, snuggled together for a stroll in the warm or mild evening air.

Well, today was actually the first time in about six months that the weather and the daylight gave us a chance to venture forth for an after-dinner walk.  As he approaches his second birthday, Lucas is at the stage where he likes to look at books, build with blocks, run (especially with his cousins), and do the active things active nearly 2-year-olds like to do.  I figured he might want to go outside, but I also figured he would prefer to do his own walking.

Wth his hat and winter coat making sure he was warm enough, he actually grunted his approval when I asked him, "Do you want to take a walk?"  He readily let me pick him up, although I expected he would want to walk on his own power as soon as he saw something interesting along the way.

For the first two blocks, we looked at birds and sticks and all sorts of cars. As we rounded the corner to begin our stroll  (well, my stroll, his ride) down the other side of the two blocks back home, I tested his willingness to put his head on my shoulder...and he instantly complied!!!

And he never lifted his head until we walked back into the house several minutes later! I hummed to him, spoke to him, I heard him make noises when he saw a bird, and I know that the setting sun shined in his face. But he stayed where he was. His vocal noises when he saw a bird on the last stretch to home let me know that he was awake, although he had dozed off by the time we were at the back door...however, not soundly, because he was awake with no prodding once inside the house.  

What I thought might have been history or forgotten (by him, anyway) remained.  Our ritual had survived.

I believe Lukas was content as he again cuddled on my shoulder during our first such walk in months and months.

I know I was so very happy!!