This afternoon, after lunch but before naptime, Helen (and Alice) and I went outside to play. Helen donned her new Finding Nemo bicycle helmet and rode around on her new Radio Flyer tricycle, and then she wanted to go swing. So we took off the helmet and went to swing for a while (Alice always starts squealing and kicking when we get close to the swingset — she loves to swing), and then Helen wanted to play Hide and Seek.
She’d go to the fence, cover her eyes, and count while Alice and I hid. “Ready ‘r not, Here I COME!” There are only a handful of good hiding places in our backyard, but Helen was having SUCH a wonderful time. And the weather was cool and breezy, so it was very comfortable to be out there. After I had exhausted all the hiding places (and she was counting to ten faster and faster), we switched roles. Alice and I would go count to ten and Helen would hide.
Helen is not very good at hiding. Partly because she wants to be able to see who is trying to find her, and partly because she giggles. All I had to do was look around wildly and she’d giggle. If I hadn’t already spotted her, the giggles gave her up.
Her favorite place to hide is a large bush in the center of the yard. She pretty much climbs into the middle of it. And giggles.
I *love* that she’s getting to an age where she’ll play games like this. SO much more fun than just wandering around the yard picking up leaves.