It was a beautiful day. So, we spent most of it outside. We went to the playground a couple of times today. And while we were on our first playground trip of the day, a cool thing happened. We drove to a playground in another neighborhood. Just to switch things up a bit. And at this playground, there is this little see-saw type toy. It's a police motorcycle with a side car attachment. Adelyn ran up to it, and asked to get on. At that time, there was another girl, much older than Addy, riding on the motorcycle part of the see-saw. We asked if Addy could ride along with her in the side car, and the girl said, "sure!" As I was helping Addy get into the car, the little girl then said, "she's so little, you have to help her up, huh...she can't do it by herself, huh?" To which, I replied, "well, it's pretty hard to get into the seat by yourself." I could see Addy's slight embarrassment and confusion. I could see her puzzling. So, I tried to answer wisely. The girl didn't mean any harm, she was just noting that Addy was little. And that she needed my help.
Addy got down after a while, and played on some other things. The slides. The swings. Crawled into a cave. Made "lunch" on a table. And all the sudden, the playground cleared. Everyone kind of up and left all at the same time. It was then that she made a beeline for the see-saw. And I could see it in her face. She did not want my help. First, she climbed into the side car by herself. She was quite pleased about that. Then she looked at the much higher, and much harder to climb onto, police motorcycle. She got down out of the side car, and went around to the motorcycle. Looked up for a second, then she started climbing. Got down, and tried again a few times. Finally, she made it. And as soon as she did, she looked at me, with a big smile of satisfaction and accomplishment, and said, "I can do it."
I thought this was so cool and awesome, because Adelyn didn't feel the need to prove herself to anyone else. Even the girl who said she couldn't do it. She didn't make a big fuss over being talked about. She just sat there, thinking. She waited until the playground cleared to try it herself. And when she decided to try and climb up there herself, she didn't stop until she had done just that.
Adelyn is a very strong willed child. I think she's even more so than I was. Which is insanely scary. Because I know I was very hard to deal with at times. I was difficult. And she can be, too. There have been times when Matt and I just don't know what to do. We've sat outside her door while she rages and tantrums, quietly asking each other, "what do we do?" "How can we help her?" But, there is a special beauty and strength in the strong willed child that makes up for all those difficult times. Determination. When Addy makes up her mind to do something, she's going to do it.
I've always known that Addy is a special girl. That she has some special thing to do on this earth. The day after she was born, my doctor came in and talked with us. She said this: "She shouldn't be alive. The guy upstairs must really have been looking out for her. Because honestly, I don't know how she's alive. She's a miracle." I'm honored to be a part of someone so special.
Thankful for Adelyn. Her life is a miracle. I'm thankful that she is so strong willed. I'm thankful that she is difficult. Because it means one thing. That she is strong. And determined. She refuses to be limited. She refuses to let what someone else speaks about her, be her truth. I'm thankful to be a part of her life. She is amazing. Truly. And I know she will do amazing things.
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| Watching his big sister play. Wishing he could run, too. |
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| This girl LOVES the playground. |
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| Still watching. |
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| Casey spent the afternoon with us. |
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| Teeth. :) |
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| Must. Reach. Bowl. And then dump it on the floor. |
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