Vacillation

Typical Auckland weather last Tuesday; oscillated between heavy showers and sunshine, greyness and blue skies with fluffy billowing clouds.

Perhaps I was anticipating his eagerness and delight with seeing and petting farm animals at Ponsonby playgroup on Tuesday morning, and in doing so I was inadvertently placing an expectation on Kien to behave in a certain way. The playgroup organisers had shipped in goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, ponies, rabbits – and a rat. For some reason my loathe for rodents did not extend out to this particular rat that day, and if Kien was game to pat the creature I would have surely done the same. But he didn’t; in fact he hardly left my arms/hip that morning.

Whilst being held by me and with a bit of coaxing he did pat a goat.

He warmed up slightly toward the end. He asked for his milk, I gave it to him, and then he was willing to venture a little closer to the Shetland ponies. He didn’t want a ride though.

We had a met up with the family in Herne Bay planned for afternoon tea. As I pushed Kien along in the stroller on the way there he was happily pointing at things he noticed (like dogs, cats, birds, planes, leaves, sticks) and chatting merrily, with the frequent inquisitive upward tone change in his voice and a glance back at me so I can acknowledge what he is saying (or pointing at). An “oh yes, good boy” or a replication of what he just said is a sufficiently appropriate response for him in these situations.

We sat outside Dida’s and enjoyed the warmth radiating from the heaters. I’m glad I had finished my latte before Thomas knocked the glass off the saucer and it smashed onto the pavement.

An expression of fascination as Thomas watched the cars zooming by.

Kien had a minor fall from his chair, but he recovered quickly with a hug from Rod.

Awww

The crying must have been contagious because Thomas starting doing his pouting thing.

Awww

Both boys were fine in less than 2 minutes.

It was a day of vacillation; coldness and warmth, rain and fine, hesitancy and hardiness, glum and cheerfulness. Hey, it’s the contrast that makes me appreciate the good times that much more!

Hey everyone, look this way!