In the Sandbox

On Sunday, it was warm enough to play outside in the backyard unencumbered by coats and the like. And so we opened up the turtle sandbox and DD and DS had field day playing in it. I sat back and watched (DP was raking up a season's worth of dead branches and detritis) while DD made numerous birthday cakes and DS built a pyramid with a fortified top. I saw in an instance my next six months--long hours outside while they self-entertained in a way that was unimaginable just a year ago when they only liked the sandbox if you would hide things in it for them. But in a year, my presence is almost passe. Almost. I'm still needed to blow out the stick candles on the cakes and help start the sand pyramid.

On Monday, at 8 a.m., it was nowhere near warm enough, at 25F, to go outside to play. But DD awoke calling for the sandbox and so we bundled up and went out for what I thought would be a short look around. I forget that toddlers don't notice temperatures--they played in the chilly wind for almost an hour, wiping their runny noses until a sandy snot layer formed. But who was I to interrupt such joy?

At least today, after our Chinese class, it was warm enough to play outside without fingers going numb. And so again, we headed to the sandbox for cakes and forts. I love watching them play. I'm learning more about aspects of play--the self-talk that helps them regulate their behavior, the "other regulation" that allows them to experience controlling others (all that bossiness has a real purpose), the obsession with self-imposed rules (first the candles, then the song, then blow out the candles, then eat it, and start again)--and can see all of them in the way they play. DD narrates the baking of her cakes, brings them to me to perform the exact birthday ritual, and then starts again. Sometimes she lets DS have a turn. DS talks to himself as he fetches pinecones for people and sticks for fences and regulates where each one goes (pinecones go inside the circle of sticks). And they're having so much fun.

It's going to be a great summer.