I’ve been spending more time with Patrick at playgrounds recently. Here he is, sprawled on the astroturf at the University Village playground:
He’s just now starting to get the hang of playgrounds. Walking helps, but only a little bit. He’ll totter around for a little bit, fall to his knees, and then crawl to where he wants to go.
Two things really help with him on a playground. First, he’s gotten much better at crawling up play structures, and he’ll also slide down slides on his own. Second – and this is in stark contrast with his brother – he appears to have no desire to eat woodchips!
(You know, Alex was much steadier on his feet by this age. And once he started walking, Alex walked everywhere. Patrick would still rather crawl. Yet Patrick shows better instincts about things like woodchips. Again, further cementing the Alex is the jock, Patrick is the smart one stereotype.)
Here’s Patrick having fun on the slide at the View Ridge playground:
Patrick may be smart, but he’s also stubborn and often contrary. It seems whatever we want him to do, he tries to do the opposite and gets frustrated when we stop him. For example:
- When he’s taking a bath, he always tries to stand up, even though we want him safely sitting.
- We were unexpectedly at a wading pool earlier in the week. Neither kid had a bathing suit. Alex waded in his shorts and didn’t get his clothes too wet. I tried to let Patrick walk around while holding my hands. All he wanted to do was sit. Why won’t you sit in the tub! I thought.
- I brought Patrick back to the wading pool a few days later, this time in his bathing suit. Not only would he not sit in the pool, when I let go of his hand, he crawled over to the side of the pool and then crawled out. No pool for him!