swings
January 5th, 2008
It was cold and windy and nobody was around. Of course Baby Bug insisted on the swings. The swings are her favorite. I wasn’t about to disappoint her since she’d been asking for them for weeks and we never got around to finding her a park with swings while we were on vacation. I felt kind of guilty about that. As I stood there shivering and wondering how many pushes it would take before she got cold too and we could hurry up and go home, Baby Bug pointed to the swing next to her and said, “Swing Mommy, swing!” She has a thing about us doing the same thing at the same time. We brush our teeth together, we eat breakfast together, we read together… you know the routine. So swing together we must. And then I got a wild hair up my butt and decided I would show Baby Bug just how high you can really swing if you pump your legs. I flew through the air. I wasn’t cold anymore. The wind didn’t bother me anymore. I was high above the treetops it seemed. I felt like I was ten. It was great. I forgot how fun swinging can be. No wonder Baby Bug always wants to go on the swings all the time.
January 5th, 2008 at 5:03 am
I remember this song: “How would you like to go up in a swing? Up in the air so blue? Oh I believe it’s a wonderful thing ever a child can do. Up n the air and over a cloud till I can see so wide.. rivers and trees and valleys and all, over the countrysiiiiide. Till I look down in the grass so green, up in the air and down. Up in the air I go flying again, up in the air and down!”
I think I messed up the lyrics! It was a childhood song. I suddenly miss being on a swing. Cherish the mother-child moments with it! :)
January 5th, 2008 at 6:01 am
There are swings up at the lake we visit sometimes in the summer and last summer I rediscovered them. I felt like a little girl again in an instant! Swings are fun.
January 5th, 2008 at 6:47 am
Wonderful isn’t it.
January 5th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Oh my goodness! I LOVE to go on the swings with Hannah. I still get the tummy jitters if I go too high (I am afraid of heights lol) and I love it!! My daughter (who is eight by the way) and my husband think I’m a nut ball. I get the giggles and just have soo much fun!
Baby Bug knows what she wants.. Mom to relax and have a good fun time!!
High five baby bug!!
January 5th, 2008 at 7:55 am
Toni, I think I remember that song or something very similar.
I love swings. They are my favorite too.
January 5th, 2008 at 8:05 am
great illustration. love it!
January 5th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Swings have always been my favorite too, though I haven’t had the chance to partake in a while…as I have no wee one to encourage me!
Your illustration is beautiful! I love the colors and the silhouettes!
January 5th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Wow, the illustration is incredible. I love it. And swinging is the best, especially when you look up…
January 5th, 2008 at 9:10 am
I believe that we have kids so that we ourselves can be kids again!
January 5th, 2008 at 9:31 am
i will grow older…
i will never grow up!
have a childs heart inside :)
January 5th, 2008 at 9:33 am
love the illustration very nice job!
January 5th, 2008 at 9:43 am
I still love the swings, try the round about next time… but that can make you giddy. Especially when the big kids are on it. I never really grew up properly, I fell out of a tree and skinned my knee badly when I was 27 showing my nephews how to do (or not do) something ;) A wee bit embaressing.
I’m typing this in a dark, shoulder length wig and Chinese style dress as I’m off to a James Bond Party tonight. Yep I still love the excitment of dressing up too. xxx
January 5th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Sammy LOVES the swings, and really, so do I. My New Year’s resolution is to bring him down for a playdate with BB on the swings!
January 5th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Beautiful. The graphic, and the story accompanying it.
January 5th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Have you read any more of Robert Louis Stevenson? How about the Lamplighter, The Birdy with the yellow bill, The land of counterpane? Please get “A Child’s Garden of Verses.” If you don’t already have it, I’ll get it for her birthday. Let me know.
January 5th, 2008 at 10:57 am
That’s just a gorgeous illustration. And story.
January 5th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Swinging can be like that : )
Lovely illustration too
January 5th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
I love everything about this post. The illustration makes me feel so happy. Such a great story.
January 5th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
What a great illo! Yes, swinging NEVER goes out of style!
January 5th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Great story, and great illo to go along with it :)
January 5th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Tony was quoting a Robert Lewis Stevenson poem called “The Swing” It’s one of my favorites. Every time I’m on the sings I say it. It isn’t a song, or if it is, it was words put to music, but it’s just such a perfect sentiment for swinging.
How do I like to go up in a swing?
Up in the air so blue
Oh I do think
It’s the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do
Up in the air
And over the wall
Till I can see so wide
Rivers and trees
and cattle and all
over the countryside
Till I look down
on the garden green
Down on the roofs
so brown
Up in the air I go
flying again
up in the air
and down.
January 5th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
That’s awesome! I love swings. I wish Isabelle liked them too. Hopefully she’ll grow to.
January 5th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
I still go out at recess in the spring and swing with my students. I love the feeling of weightlessness. I get a little motion sick, but it is still fun.
And ever the teacher, I always try to teach the kids how to swing themselves, so they won’t need to be pushed as much.
January 5th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
This is my favorite post. They illostration is breath taking. I hope Gramma gets the book for her and instribes it with one of her famous poems.
I wish I could swing. It is so freeing…..and makes me nausous immediately, but not my kids, they love to swing.
January 5th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
I love the illo!
And yes, I love to swing. Your description brings tears to my eyes. We installed swings last year on J’s playstructure. I couldn’t go on it because I was so big and pregnant. I can’t wait for spring so I can swing with my J.
January 5th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
What a great post! I enjoyed reading that … if it is not raining tomorrow I think I will take Little ‘Ny to the park for some swinging!
January 5th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Swinging has always been one of my very favorite things to do. The illustration really is great one. We need to get together again soon for some coffee, a walk, and a swing!
January 6th, 2008 at 1:46 am
Love it too, we swing in our back yard all summer and of course K insists that mommy swings too. We sing about the trees and leaves and watch the clouds and planes, (sigh) yup, just love it!
January 6th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Love swinging too! Great illustration…really captures the feeling.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:58 am
I love to swing.
Swings were made for adults. You learn when you’re a child, but they were put there so that when you are an adult you can remember the freedom of being a child.
Beautiful illo - love the sky behind the tree.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Great illo, girl. I love the circle edge of the tree. Nice touch.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
love the illo!
January 6th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
great! :) beautiful post.
January 6th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
What a beautiful illustration! Wow!
January 7th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Yep! Robert Louis Stevenson. I would get BB a book of his poems.
She would love it. Or let Gramma do it. My kids loved his poems. (Thanks to Gramma)
January 7th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
That graphic is amazing, I love it! The story too.