J is for Jump

S is for Seren. Lately, S is also for spontaneity. So far, I've concluded that toddlers are a walking set of contradictions and confusions. You can pick up a toddler and carry them wherever you want. A toddler can go limp and scream like a banshee in any of those places. You can make any sartorial statement you want with your toddler, and they can stain any outfit in just about any way one can imagine. And, oh by the way, there comes a time she can take off her clothes much more easily than you can put them on her. You can explain the world to them, but they don't have to listen and for a long time you're not sure they're understanding you.

Without a routine, you and your toddler are up shits creek without a paddle, a motor, any water, any wipes, and any toys or music. And without a routine, she won't be able to moo and baa for the next person who meets her. Routines are mandatory, if any of my goals are to be accomplished and my sanity is to be retained. She actually needs routines. Spontaneity, however, is impossible for even the most anal organizer to stamp out. It's just a part of a toddler's nature. It's actually pretty cool too. A kiss from out of nowhere is a dad melter. A sudden decision to bounce on dad's stomach and laugh hysterically can be a day maker.

Today, Seren and I cleaned up her room in anticipation of her mother's arrival home from work, as we always do. We started with the task that we almost always start with: putting the alphabet blocks back in their bucket. Seren loves cleaning up her room, and particularly loves putting the blocks in the bucket. Today I let her do the task largely on her own, only helping out when she held out a block in my direction. When that happened, I would take it from her, tell her what the letter was, and out it in the bucket. When she handed me a "J," I told her it was "J" as in "Jump." Seren looked at me, smiled, stood up, and commenced jumping. She jumped for maybe ten seconds before she sat back down, replaced the smile with her face of intense concentration, and resumed the task of placing the blocks in the bucket. And the day was made. I was so content, that I failed to take the bucket away when the lid went on. Of course the lid came off, and out came the blocks. Oh well, it gave us another chance to perform our little routine, er improv number.