Project 365- Day 14

My little guy is quite possibly the most cautious person I have ever met. It's only been in the last year that I have noticed him trying more things and being a little bit braver. On Friday we went to Pump It Up for my niece's birthday party and the kids had a lot of fun. I knew the baby girl would do fine since she has no fear and is always willing to try something new. But I was really proud of my little guy who decided to try climbing the rock wall with his cousin.

That's something he would have cried about just a short year ago, had I asked him to try it then. I have to say he did pretty good. He said he was tired and that is why he had to stop and come back down before he made it to the top. Naturally, I saw that as an opportunity to discuss his poor eating habits and how if he ate more than corn flakes three times a day, perhaps he would have been able to make it to the top. He was less than pleased with my comments. He is a typical first born, very driven, and was upset with himself for not being able to complete his task. He did try it again and made it further up the wall and even though he was still a bit upset he moved on emotionally once the pizza was served. Maybe he did take our little talk to heart since he ate three whole slices, something he has never done.

I think I am also a little proud of myself. Seeing all the other kids climb, the old me would have encouraged, pleaded, maybe even bribed him a little to give it a try. But this day the idea was totally his own and I am realizing that if he never tries anything scary ever again it would be no big deal. He is who he is and I love that person very much.
Hmm. Perhaps I have grown some too.
Besides, the baby girl has already given me enough gray hairs in just the past year to last me the rest of my life. You know she also had to do the rock wall, right?
One fearless and one cautious. A perfect balance.