Connor & The Singing Trees

I had to do some grocery shopping today as we were completely out of fruit. Connor insisted on coming with me, even though his teenage sister Angelica was home so he could have stayed at home. The walk to the store was 2 1/2 miles each way.

Fortunately, the sun was out. It would have been hot, but there was a strong, cool breeze that kept the temperature from feeling too warm. It was beautiful out.

Like our last walk, there were butterflies fluttering and spiraling all around us. They kept flying really close to us, so Connor exclaimed, "Mommy! The butterflies LIKE us! They like us, Mommy!"

I was surprised that we didn't see as many dogs out as usual. It was a gorgeous day and perfect for dog-walking, yet we only saw about four dogs being walked compared to the usual twenty or so we see on most walks. Connor got to pet most of the dogs we saw. He loves to pet them, and he is really gentle with them. I've taught him never to just run up to the dogs though; he is supposed to always ask the owner before he approaches the dog.

On one of our previous walks, it had been a bit breezy and Connor had heard the leaves in the trees making noise as they blew against each other and wanted to know what the sound was. I told him then that it was the trees talking to each other. He wanted to know what they were saying, so I told them they were welcoming us to the park and saying what a beautiful day it was. Ever since then, every time the wind blows in the trees and he hears the leaves as they blow against each other, he asks me what the trees are saying.

Today, the trees were especially noisy as it was a strong wind blowing. As usual, Connor wanted to know what the trees were saying. We were the only two souls in sight, so I told him that the trees were singing today, and they were singing a song asking us to come and dance with them. Then I sang him a little song (supposedly the one that the trees were singing) that went like,

"Come dance with us;
It will be so much fun.
Come dance with us
In the bright morning sun.
Come dance with us,
Every boy and girl.
Come dance with us;
Feel the joy as you twirl."

And as I sang it, he and I held hands and danced, spinning and twisting and stepping. I could see how happy he was as we danced, and it was so completely worth feeling a little bit silly.

I'll have to come up with something new for the trees to be "saying" next time.

When we got home, he was so tired that he fell asleep on the couch within minutes of sitting down.