Play Time!

For anyone who hasn't tried out gymboree...I would highly recommend it! There is nothing better than ending your day at gymboree open gym time! We went to open gym time last night and it made my whole exhausting, stressful day vanish! There is something so wonderful about watching your child climb, run, giggle, throw balls and have a great all around play time. Don't get me wrong, Connor laughs and has a blast at home too but there is almost something magical about the play group. The atmosphere is fantastic...with all these parents smiling and watching their children play with so much love in their eyes and they're all talking and playing with other kids that come running over to bring a total stranger a ball or smile...sounds really corny but it is truly a wonderful experience. I try to go every Tuesday but unfortunately work and life get in the way a lot of the time. We also go to the play and learn classes on Saturday mornings. For those of you not familiar with it, it is a structured play class with bubbles, peekaboo puppets, climbing apparatuses, parachute time as well as music and dance. Connor is a VERY social baby so he loves to go and show off and talk to everyone. Connor just hit 21 months and I am so enthralled with watching him participate lately. It is amazing how much they change in a short period of time. He know likes to dance along to the song and follow the directions himself whereas just a month ago we would hold him and do the motions. Where did that little baby go and when did he turn into such a big boy?!?!?! Now all the little kids are watching Connor in awe whereas just a few months ago he would watch bigger kids with that awestruck look!

On a side note...there was a couple with a little girl there last night who was crawling around and having a great time. Another parent asked how old she was (she was almost 11 months) and if she was walking yet...the parents looked a little panicky..."she's started to take a couple steps holding on to things". Why do we worry so much about movement as parents? Connor was 11 months before he was crawling and 14 months before he was walking...now he won't stop walking, climbing, dancing...I sure wish I didn't worry so much about movement before and just enjoyed his limited ability to get around! I am still guilty of this though...I check the developmental milestones every month and check that he is at or surpassing each one...