Run Forrest, Run......

Do you remember that part in the movie in Forrest Gump where Jenny tells Forrest to run from the bullies (I think that is the part) and he runs so fast and so hard that his leg braces break apart and collapse on the ground as he runs fast and free?

Well, we had our own version of that today, kinda....but minus the bullies and the braces. ;)

Actually...it was like this. Today we found ourselves having lunch at The Yard House at an outdoor mall and the boys were given frozen strawberry popsicles at the end of their meals...didn't know The Yard House did that, but anyway they do. So, instead of having their strawberry drippings all over my car we walked around a bit until they could finish them....Reid was about two-thirds of the way done with his messy drippy popsicle when I heard him squeal and then start running...

I am not talking running...I am talking "bookin it" running and like Forrest's braces exploded Reid's popsicle started exploding and red ice chips flung all over and fell to the ground as he wove himself in and out of people's legs running as fast as his own little ones would go. (I seriously had images of that movie as this was happening).

I began chasing him afraid he would fall with the popsicle stick in his mouth but then started busting up when I caught him and looked ahead to see what had caught his little eye and threw him in this frenzy...the Merry Go Round.

His eyes were huge and he was ecstatic...so of course we indulged, even big brother could not resist the cuteness of it all and accompanied Reid for a Ride.

You know what I loved sooo much about this moment....was how excited and free and engaged Reid was.

I noticed this same thing on Saturday when we were at a birthday party for a little friend at the park....he ran all over that playground and climbed the ladders and stairs to get to the slides and play equipment just like everyone else. He sat and ate pizza and cake and was acting silly and goofy like everyone else...(I love the picture of him being goofy and trying to hide his face at the table). He even sat quietly and attentively as she opened her presents, like everyone else.


And then again I noticed it at various times this past weekend, this new engagement level, as Luke and Reid were playing with nerf guns...Reid would bust up giggling when a nerf bullet hit him and he would dramatically twirl around on his feet and fall to the ground with an "awwww" as in "awww, you got me", only to get up and sign for more. Or as the two of them played secret agents with all Luke's "Spy Gear" he has acquired over the year. Luke nicknamed Reid "Stealth" for this game and gave him special missions to accomplish (which usually meant "getting" Momzilla as Luke nicknamed me). It was so fun to watch them, and so fun to watch Reid being so engaged and engaging in his own right. Though, we did hear at one point Luke ask us..."Tell me again why all my secret agents are babies??" LOL...I just love him.

....but I saw it, I noticed it......a change, a growth, a coming into his own for Reid.

As a mom who cried her eyes out when he was born, so afraid of what the future held for him, I am so full in my heart to see who he is, who he is becoming, to see him so free, so alive, so uninhibited and joyful, and so absolutely breathtakingly adorable and lovable! ....it is food to my soul!