Just 'A Swingin

After many failed attempts and lots of different kinds of swings, Lily has finally discovered just how fun swinging can be.

My parents got Lily a little yellow bucket swing for her birthday.  On their last visit here, we hung it from a tree branch in the backyard.

I'll admit everyone's expectations were kind of low.  Lily has never been a big swinger, even when she was an infant.

Insert sidenote here:  Just to clarify - I'm referring to "swinger" in the verb form, not the noun form.  Lily has been called a flirt but it's never gone further than smiles, eyelash batting, and gentle squeezes.

I am also positive Lily knows when all of us really want her to like something.

All of us transform into Vanna White, running back and forth in front of the new item, flipping switches to make lights and music, speaking in octaves much higher than normal, and trying to capture the moment on film.  We try way too hard to "sell it".

The result of our efforts?  She won't even look at it.

I know she's doing it on purpose.  She will look at anything but what we're trying to show her.  She can be so hard-headed - a trait I firmly believe skipped right over me and came straight from my dad.

So we've learned the best way to introduce Lily to something new is to place it in her environment and leave it alone.  Act like it's not even there.  Step away from the toy, ma'am.

She discovers it on her own and once it's her idea, she won't set it down for a week.  It becomes the new favorite.

So that's how we treated the swing.

Insert second sidenote here:  We did actually put her in the swing for about one minute since Mimi and Papa were here but all of us are learning not to take it personally when she doesn't immediately respond with unbridled enthusiasm - or treats new things like the scourge of the playroom.

The swing has now been hanging in the backyard for about a month.  And just this past week, Lily "discovered" it.  And now wants to swing.  Lots.  And swing BIG.

She wants you to face her, hold the sides of the bucket, walk under the swing while pushing her until you can't reach anymore, then let go.

It's good, clean, scary fun.  Not to mention hilariously funny.

We've waited quite a while to watch her enjoy this childhood pastime.  And as much fun as she's having, it doesn't quite compare to the joy we're feeling.