Strawberry Picking

Today we went strawberry picking. I have been really sick with a sinus infection that exploded yesterday. I never got off the couch (once I got back from picking up my drugs from the pharmacy). You took a 4 hours nap!!! I don't think you felt 100% either. We missed Art in the Park and Jessica's birthday party. I felt bad, but my body screamed for rest. Today, I am still sick and you slept almost until 10am!!!

Trying to make up for a being a sick mommy, we took you strawberry picking at our local farm: Baughers.

We got to go on a tractor ride out to the field. You grabbed on tight when it started to get bumpy.

When we made it out to the field, you were somewhat confused, until I picked a berry and gave it to you. You instinctively popped it into your mouth and you were hooked. Berry eating ensued more than picking but it was quite fun.

After you had your fill of strawberries, you figured out how to pick and put them into our basket. Although Daddy had to throw back alot of your "picks" because of rot, you understood what to do and participated successfully.

The farm even has a petting zoo with pigs and bunnies and kittens and goats and sheep and a cow and a donkey. You had a good time, even though the donkey nipped your fingers looking for more corn. Sometimes all the animals milling around was a little overwhelming, you would reach out for one of us to hold onto.

What was surprising was the other moms who were nagging at their kids not to walk in the mud or get dirty. Some other moms wouldn't even put their children down (this one boy was 17 months) out of fear of dirt / animals / insects. You came back covered in strawberry juice and sticky. Then after the petting zoo, those sticky spots were covered in animal fur and you had stepped in some type of animal poop. Somehow none of this bothered me. You were filthy when we stopped at the grocery store, maybe some of the sideways glances should have bothered me. But they didn't. I just can't worry about dirt and stickiness if it gets in the way of experience. You had quite the experience today and I would never prevent you from participating in an activity out of fear of dirt or mud. It might be a difference in parenting or philosophy of parenting, but the teacher in me wants you to touch, manipulate, squeeze, pet, taste, experiment to your heart's content. Experiences make up our lives and I want you to have as many as possible dirt or not.