Swing High Little One!

This weekend, my little boy achieved yet another milestone.  Yes, he can pump his feet and swing all by himself!  Over the years, I've watched many milestones...his first bites of solid food, his first steps, his first bath, his first art project, etc. etc.  However, this milestone of being able to swing all by himself will always be near and dear to my heart.

You see, I've been pushing my little boy on the swings for the past four years, and over the past year, I knew that he was starting to develop the concept of pumping his feet; he just didn't have the confidence to do it on his own.  Well, this week we spent several days practicing.  Every time he swung up, I would tell him to push his legs out. Once he swung them out, I would tap the bottom of his feet and tell him to push his legs back.

"Great job, Lewie!  Keep pushing those feet out!  Keep pushing them out!  Remember, out and in...out and in!"  I'd praise him over and over for a job well done, and amazingly, he kept swinging higher and higher with very little of my effort.  At this point, I knew he was doing it, but he didn't realize it.  He still thought I was the one helping him by tapping his feet.

On Sunday, my mom, aunt, and I were out raking the leaves, and Little Lewie ran for the swings. "Mommy, can you push me?" he asked again and again.  My mom pushed him a few times, and then the unthinkable happened...he started pumping his feet, and before we all knew it, he was swinging higher and higher.

"Look Mommy.  Look!"  Lewie shouted.  "I'm doing it all by myself!"

"You are, Lewie.  You are.  I'm so proud of you!  Mommy's so proud of you!"

For the next forty minutes, my family and I continued to rake the yard while Lewie pumped and pumped and swung higher and higher.  I've been a proud Mamma before all of this, but that day I gloated.  With a little bit of my time, patience, and praise, I helped my little boy develop the confidence to swing!  I've been a part of many milestones, but this is one that I can call my very own accomplishment too.   Swing high, Little Lewie.  Swing high!

Little Lewie's first cradle "swing."

Before Lewie knew how to pose for pictures... (park in Prospect, CT)

Swinging in three feet of snow during the winter of 2010.

A "little" snow never stopped anyone...especially him.

Swinging at the park in Litchfield, CT during the summer of 2011.

I told him I'd push him real high if he just smiled for the camera...  I bribe all the time :)

My little boy's first time on a "big kid's" swing.  (This is the backyard of our friend's house.)

My last picture of him on the swings...Now it's hard because he's a moving target!