We made it to the small park consisting of 3 swings and a small playground set with toddler slide. Jasper's first request: Swing! No surprise here, this has always been his favorite part. I get him settled in the toddler swing and begin pushing. The smile on his face is worth a thousand words. He is beyond happy. Why don't we do this more often? Time, that's right I never have enough of it. Life is spent running from one thing to the next, from work, to home, then crossfit and back home to eat and go to bed. When we do have time at home I'm hurrying around cooking or trying to catch up on the growing pile of laundry. Lately it's felt more like a juggling act in a circus than my sweet life.
But here I am enjoying the fresh air and giggles from my guy. My heart is full. I decide to take a swing myself and demonstrate pumping my legs for Jasper. I've done this in past trips to the park but never for very long. Those swings you see are made for kids with bottoms much smaller than my has been for several years and within a minute or so the metal chains always start to dig in and pinch making it an uncomfortable experience. I didn't really consider this until after I was on the swing pumping my legs with Jasper cheering me on. Wait a minute, no pinching, no digging in of those darn metal chains? Here I am swinging away and just enjoying it. Then it hit me, I'm smaller than I was the last time we were here. I can swing with my son with no concern for being too fat for the swing. A smile broke out on my face that still hasn't left, not just because I'm losing fat and gaining muscle, not because I'm creating new healthier habits, not because I'm looking skinnier but, because I know I'm becoming a better mom. Inch by inch, pound by pound I'm proving that I can be a healthy example for my son. Inch by inch, pound by pound I'm getting closer to being the mom that actively plays with her children, the mom that encourages physical activity by example not just words.
