Through The Eyes of a Child

Everything is better through the eyes of a child. I now love doing things I haven't enjoyed, or even thought to enjoy, in years. Things like going to the park, a farm, the zoo, or playing in the snow. To be honest, I hate the cold but you'll still catch me outside in the snow many times each year now. There is just something different when you have a child and you get to see things through their eyes. Everything that is new to them becomes new to you again because you start to see the wonderment in it all.

I'm not anywhere close to being a baker but that too has become a fun source of entertainment on days when there isn't much going on. Today for instance, Carter and I decided we would make a kid friendly trail mix. First, at the grocery store, we had the fun of hunting down the ingredients. We got to explore the cereal isle (he usually eats cheerios and we get them from Costco, so not much excitement there), the baking isle, and the candy isle, all places we usually skip over. For each thing I picked up that didn't look familiar I got to hear "what's that mum?" Usually our grocery shopping days are much more predictable, so much so that Carter now tells us what we are getting next and where to get it.

When we got home we got to explore all the ingredients again as we mixed them all together. Some he remembered, some I had to explain again. It didn't take long but he loved getting to mix them all together. When we were done I mentioned that we would give some to his cousins next door. Carter decided he wanted to take some over "now". So we bundled up and headed next door. It wasn't until Uncle Matt opened the door that I realized Carter had an ulterior motive. He handed over the trail mix and immediately started trying to get inside. I should have known! His cousins weren't home though so we'll save that excitement for another day.

When we got home the real fun of the trail mix started. I poured some in a bowl. Carter took the bowl very carefully over to his train table. He then thought he may want a drink so he grabbed his milk from the fridge and added it beside his trail mix. Then he grabbed his spider man foam chair and pulled it nice and close to the train table. He sat in the chair and scooted himself and the chair as close to the table as he could (so much so that he later had to call for help to get out of it!) Then he looked in the bowl and the gasps and giggles began. He would stick his pointer finger in the bowl and start his search. Every time he came across a yogurt covered raisin or a reeses pieces he was filled with delight. And it never got old!

If only we could all find as much enjoyment in the little things. Maybe we could all be as happy as a two year old!