Walking right into it.....

I love the rain. I love the way it sounds, it smells, it feels. One of my favorite summer memories about Louisiana is when it was blistering hot all day and then out of no where the clouds form, you get a down pour for a few minutes and then just like it started, it's gone. After the rain stops, the steam would start to rise off of the pavement.

I also love puddles. After I had my first child (I was a typical first time mother) I didn't like him to get dirty. God forbid if anything touched the ground it could never touch my sons lips. (For they would fall off of his face as I sat there, I just knew it!).

My the things we learn :)

Anyway, I remember one day when Alex was about a year old, he and I took a walk around the corner to visit my girlfriend. It had rained early in the day. As we started to walk there was a puddle on the ground. My dear sweet baby boy, stopped looked at it and said UH OH!! And started to walk around it continuing to say UH OH!! I thought to myself, have I taught him to think these things are bad? I took his hand brought him back around and lead him through the puddle. He was SHOCKED at first and then let out the biggest squeal.
And then we continued on our way. As we would come to a puddle, he would look up at me (he meets me at eye level now, man am I missing those looking up days) and I would give him the all clear to jump in it.

I was so proud of myself that day. I learned that we all need to jump in puddles every once in awhile.

I didn't go around encouraging my kids to jump into every one they saw, but I didn't stop them if they wanted to try them either.

I kind of need to remind myself of that day, nowadays.

The way that young mother felt, learning something from her young son.

I need more puddles in my life or maybe I just need the OK to jump into them :)