Ethan and I have been sharing a secret.
For the past month or so, Ethan and I have been escaping to the local skate park in the late afternoon. Just about every single day, we spend those hours leading up to dinnertime sitting on the bleachers and watching the local teenagers skate. This whole thing was an accident -- a case of parking in the wrong lot while trying to find the playground -- but has somehow turned into our favorite activity, our secret place to escape to together, an adventure that Ethan begins asking for momentarily after waking up from his afternoon nap. "Keet?" (Skate.)
I've begun to look forward to the setting of the sun each afternoon, knowing that our time together at the skate park is getting close. I've never seen Ethan so enthralled in anything as he is the skaters, pure awe and magic written all over his face. When one of the skaters does a particularly cool trick, lifting their bike in the air or sliding on their skateboards across a bench, Ethan screams with excitement. He stands up. He bounces up and down. He screams, he squeals. He throws his arms in the air and laughs, laughs, laughs. His joy is my greatest joy and for that, I cherish these moments together under the setting sun, looking forward to sneaking out to the skate park even if it means dinner will be late (and these days, usually it is).
Sometimes the teenage boys who are skating will notice us watching them skate each night. They'll act like they're not impressed, like they're not showing off, like they care about everything in the world but performing for an audience of a mother and her toddler, yet they'll always move a ramp right in front of us and play off Ethan's delighted squealing as to what tricks to repeat over and over. That slightly endearing teenage smugness makes me smile and flashback to my own teenage years. So do the skaters, typically reminding me so much of my husband when he was that age, argyle socks up to their knees and those familiar Volcom hats on their heads. Some things time just can't change.
Ethan thinks the skaters are total rockstars, all of them, even the seven year old boys decked out in all the padding their mothers could find, flopping onto their backs when their rollerblades give out from under them. I enjoy watching Ethan the most, watching his eyes widen as the skaters go up a ramp and fly back down. He'll grip my hand or put his hand on my knee as they fly into the air and then he'll look at me, a smile beaming across his face and nothing will be wrong in the world at that moment. These moments are magical and they are ours, every night, a special place for us to laugh until the moon is bright in the nighttime sky.
What a special time that you and Ethan get to share together!
ReplyDeleteYou might just have yourself a little future skater on your hands.
ReplyDelete-Insert Lindsay already having panic attacks now-
Oh your skate park is so nice compared to the one I live by!! Those guys are so talented. My friends growing up were skateboarders. I however, wes never brave enough to try. Ethan, what a handsome cutie he is!!! I bet he's amazed by all the tricks those kids do!
ReplyDeleteI hope you're having a great week and a Happy New Year!
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Jean {What Jean Likes}
So precious. I'm glad you shared.
ReplyDeleteHe's so handsome! ;) I'm a new follower and I also signed up for ad swaps!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great writer you are... made me wish I had little ones still. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea. I have two young boys who would love this and we have a skate park just down the street from us...now if it just wasn't 7 degrees outside. Can't wait for spring so we can visit our skaters! Anyway, found you on Let Them Eat Cakes blog hop, I'm you newest follower :) Feel free to check out my blog and follow back if you'd like.
ReplyDeleteThe Real McCoy(s)
This is so special! I love it.
ReplyDelete