Spring is here!

I think I might have been more excited than Ryan was yesterday when we went to the park. Just like everywhere else, the winter weather in Fayetteville has been less than desirable. The mid-60 degree temperatures yesterday were just wonderful. I couldn't get out of the office fast enough to pick him up, go home, change clothes and walk over to the park. He and I were both stoked and our faces showed it. Don't get me wrong, I think snow is one of the most beautiful things God has ever made. It goes right along with sunsets and the moon and stars and the beach first thing in the morning. But nasty rainy/wintry mix precipitation and a group of paranoid city officials who cancel school just because of the mere thought of a snow flake is not something I am thankful for.

Anyway, back to our park experience...we had a wonderful time! Ryan greeted the dogs that are normally at the park with an over abundance of hugs that our dogs tolerate well, but the smaller dogs at the park don't seem as excited. Oh well, what can I say? He comes from a family of animal lovers. He rode the merry-go-round. Yes! Our park has a merry-go-round! I haven't seen one in years. He's not a fan of riding it, but he likes to push it. He actually ran a kid off from the thing because he was pushing so hard and fast. I pulled him aside and he agreed to slow down, but it was too late. The poor kid didn't want to get back on. Is my child turning in to a bully? I hope not.

Ryan doesn't play on one thing too long. He samples a bit of everything. Except he does love the slide and the monkey bars. With my help, he's a monkey bars champ. No surprise there, the child loves to climb. But I hold him up and he grabs bar after bar, and when he gets to the end, he likes to swing back and forth for a minute and then he'll let go. As for the slides, there are several on this one play structure. They are all different; short ones, long ones, bumpy ones, zigzag ones (not a fan of these), and then there are slides that look more like climbing walls than slides, and of course he climbs them. I let him. :) So, he climbs the "climbing wall" slides and then slides down the big straight bumpy slide. Before we had his hair chopped off, his head would look like that of a porky pine when he got to the bottom of the slide.

Even dinner last night was awesome for us. Lately, at our house, dinner time has been a challenge with Ryan. But not last night. He sat at the table with Brett and I and we talked and laughed and ate and had a great time. It wasn't until bath time that we had our first meltdown of the day. But that's ok... a little bit of bribery with a peanut butter M&M did the trick and everyone was happy. Yes, I am very aware that bribery is not the answer and I will probably regret it later, but for last night it worked. :)

Here are some pictures from Saturday morning playing in his tent and with his Thomas trains.