Yesterday Cora and I took a canoeing trip with my family in Indiana through Turkey Run State Park. My daughter inherited the valuable trait from her father that doesn’t allow her to sit still for more than five minutes at a time without needing some sort of entertainment. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous to take my 18 month old down a winding 2-hour trip with only trees and a breeze to keep her occupied.
I have to say though, this was one of those times, as a parent, where you think you have your child all figured out, and then she goes and proves you all kinds of wrong. Cora barely fussed the whole trip, patiently observed the world around her, and was content to just let the water stream through her tiny little fingers.
At one point, my Dad was wanting to stop and play with my siblings and Cora on a sand bar, and I caught myself still feeling the need to finish the trip for fear the only toddler in the group would run out of best behavior juice.
But no, I thought, she’s getting big and she can handle it. And she did, without a bribe or a stern look from me. And then peacefully drifted off to sleep for the entire car ride home. It was a beautiful day, but more importantly, a beautiful lesson that my daughter isn’t always who I decide she is, sometimes she’s even better.
XO,
A
