Safety. Dance.

Boden's head continued to break his tumbles this week. In addition to the goose egg on his forehead, I helped him out with another bruise right next to it by dropping a sea shell (my bribe to keep him "in position" on the changing table) on his head. He followed that up with two more bruises at daycare.

I used to feel like I just needed to protect Boden from the big worries (child predators, falling into the lake, tumbling down the steps, getting run over). But learning to walk has led to a new sense of autonomy and adventure for Boden and I now see that every little corner, rift in the carpet, and open drawer is a potential threat to my little one's safety--and it makes me feel like every day is marked with flashing yellow caution/beware lights. Every waking moment I'm with Boden, I'm putting my hand over corners, moving dogs, pushing in chairs, telling him to duck, shutting toilet lids, closing drawers (or getting my own hands slammed in them), re-directing him to "safer" activities...etc. and it's exhausting.

I remember awhile ago, stopping my car for a mama deer and her fawn to cross the road and I yelled to the mama, you need to be safer with your fawn, lady, because I'm not always going to be around. Look both ways! I told Todd if I could make a living patrolling the highways to help animals cross safely, I would do it because the sight of any animal who's met his death by way of an ill-timed road crossing brings me to tears--always. While it's definitely part of my nature to keep my own "little deer" safe, I'm apt to going a bit overboard. It's clear that I'm on the path to becoming the dreaded "helicopter parent". Today, I'm clearing away physical obstacles to make Boden's life easier and in 17 years I'll be writing Boden's college application essays and arguing with college admission's offices about why my son didn't get accepted.

(Video: Boden gettin' his groove on.)