Joy: Day 7

This morning, Clayton and I got to join Whitney's preschool class at a local farm/pumpkin patch.  I don't have any pics, as it was raining, and I figured chasing 2 kids around such a venue in such weather would make the camera more of a piece of luggage than a benefit.

We started in the corn box.  I've played in corn boxes before...they were small and about 6 inches deep.  This corn box was at least twice as big as the ball pits that used to be in the McDonald's playlands.  And, when I stepped in, I found myself in corn up to my knees!  I wouldn't have had the opportunity to find out the depth, except Clayton found himself stranded in the middle of the box--NOT enjoying the feel of feed corn on his stocking feet.  Instead, we sat on the hay bales and watched Whitney and her friends enjoy the box.  We also watched another little boy (age 3) have a puddle jumping contest with his mom (age 30-something)...I think he ended up making bigger splashes than she did!

After the corn box, we headed over to the animal pens.  We saw 3 month old calves, a miniature donkey, 2 piglets, a couple of goats, and a bunny rabbit or two.  Whitney was in the middle of the action and Clayton held back, not sure of the sudden moves the animals would make.  He was very concerned when the snorting piglets started putting their front legs up on the fence. 

When we walked into the hay barn, Clayton freaked out a little, thinking we were headed back into a corn box.  During the first few activities, he saw a couple of tractors and kept begging to ride the tractors.  He was severely disappointed when we left the bike track stocked with John Deere tricycles much to big for him to ride.  He cried all the way through the hay maze...and was finally placated when we went to the pumpkin patch.  Whitney jumped from bale to bale with her friends, and I hardly saw her in the hay maze!  (It wasn't much of a maze...mostly a hay loft on the ground with a few tubes to crawl through.)

Clayton and Whitney selected nearly identical pumpkins...small with a long curved-ish stem.  From that moment on, Clayton insisted on carrying his own pumpkin--in a grocery bag on his tiny arm.  But, the ultimate activity of the day for Clayton happened when we went on a hay ride!  We sat near the front, just so Clayton could see the tractor pulling us.  He was happy as a little clam when we climbed on the wagon and from the time we got off, he kept mentioning going on the tractor. 

We ended the day by playing in the Kiddie Korral for a while.  Whitney was off like the little social butterfly that she is...and Clayton immediately gravitated to the tractors in the sandbox.  After a few minutes there, we went up to the bubble wand table and Clayton tried his hand at making huge bubbles.  He wasn't very successful, but he was sure having fun trying!  I had to laugh at these Washington kids.  They'd been walking through the misty rain all morning--but once we got to the Korral, they all ended up playing with the bubbles and the water pumps.  I guess they were already wet, so it didn't really matter anyway.  When it was time to go, I had to call Whitney about 15 times--she was still at the water table.

We had a great time.  And, in spite of Clayton's pumpkin losing its stem in a tragic accident during the drive home, Clayton is still carrying it around the house.

There were so many joys in my day today.  While I didn't joy in Clayton's discomfort with the corn box, I DO joy in watching my children try new things--new textures, new situations, new experiences--and I joy in seeing their reactions.  Experiencing life is part of why we're here!  I found joy in Clayton's fascination with tractors.  He was SO thrilled to finally get to ride on that tractor!  He's at an age when so much of life is new and exciting. It makes me happy to see his joy in life.  And, I found joy in watching Whitney in her independent element--playing with her friends and enjoying her experience at the farm.  I honestly didn't see much of her while we were there because she was so busy having fun!