Swingin'......

On a desperate night not long after Ethan was born Clark was sent rather forcefully to the store to buy a baby swing. Our little baby would not sleep, someone suggested a swing and we went for it in a hurry! Ethan loved his swing, it soothed him. He pretty much did the majority of his sleeping in that swing for the first 5 months of his life.
He still loves to swing. However, when he is swinging he is so reverent. He doesn't squeal or scream or giggle like he does on all of the other park equipment - he just has a cute little peaceful smile and very quietly enjoys the swinging.
There is a park a couple miles from our house that we walk to a lot. First Ethan likes to swing in the baby swings, then he likes to swing by himself on the big kid swing, then he likes to swing on the big kid swing while sitting in my lap. Everytime he tucks his little head onto my shoulder and gives me the biggest hug. He can stay like this for 5 mins. (which is a long time for a kid that never sits still). I absolutely love it! The swinging motion almost puts him to sleep, I think it is hynotic to him. It makes me wonder if he will outgrow it, or if one day I will get a phone call from his elementary school telling me he broke his arm falling off the swing because he fell asleep while swinging.

The other day my friend Margaret came over with her cute baby girl. We were working on our quiet book project so I got the swing out for baby Shannon. Ethan was fascinated with it and the baby. After a while Margaret took her baby out of the swing and we were in the kitchen talking. It was pretty quiet in the living room where Ethan had been playing. I peeked in and this is what I found-

He had climbed onto the couch and from there climbed into the swing. He was pretty proud. He loved it and wouldn't get out for awhile. He looked huge in it compared to how he looked in it as a newborn. He is a swingin' little boy!