Xavier the Explorer
Greetings to everyone.
Xavier loves going outside. We have been taking him to the park to play on the slides and other equipment, and he has enjoyed this. Recently, he has taken on a love for his own backyard. In the mornings when he gets up, he likes to go to a window and look out. With a big, smiley grin, he points at things outside and squawks excitedly. We name the items he points at, then he points at something else. This he could do, but for the lack of time his parents can fit in, for probably hours.
This weekend, the Denver area enjoyed a rare (and record-setting) bout of spring-like weather. Temperatures reached the low 70's and the sun had few clouds to contend with. It was time to let Xavier loose on the back yard (right after, that is, Dad cleared the yard of dog mines).
We have let Xavier out in the back to explore before, but he really took to it this weekend. I worked from home Friday. My office opens onto the patio and with the weather so nice, I left the door open to let Xavier (who now-a-days runs to the sliding glass door and presses his face against it like the stereotypical kid outside a candy store) come and go as he liked.
He explored everything at his pace, which was often fast. Every so often, I had to pop outside and check on him because, in his excitement, he forgot to keep checking in with me.
He eventually returned from his reconnaissance and started rolling out the heavy equipment. First, he found his newest car and headed out with it. Push-driving it to somewhere mid yard, he used it as a base to explore nearby places, like the window well he set his heart on getting into.
He brought out his ATV, perhaps to reach some of the higher, more difficult areas of the yard. Then he pulled his wagon into action. With the wagon, he demanded Dad come out and pull him around the whole property while he surveyed it from the comfort of his covered seating.
At one point, Xavier found the back gate and worked hard at finding a way to get it open. He even brought heavy equipment to bear on the problem: his "carpet mower".
Xavier began gathering other smaller toys and bringing them on his forays. By the afternoon, he had toys (mostly cars and wagons and trains) strewn across the yard. It was something of a sight. I looked upon all the vehicles on the lawn and experienced a strange sensation. I never expected to see my yard full of kid's toys, nor had I thought I would ever get to bring those toys onto the covered porch as night fell. Isn't that for younger couples to experience?