"Okay, Clark, I think it's just about ready." Jonathan pulled at the tire again but neither the rope nor the branch showed any signs of giving.
Clark had been so eager to help that hanging the tire swing took about four times as long as it would have without him and was giggling with excitement as he sat in it and Jonathan came behind him to push.
"Flying!" Clark yelled at the top of his lungs, "Flying!" Jonathan pushed harder on each swing, and Clark wriggled with excitement as each one sent him higher.
Gradually, he slowed down, and told Clark, "My arms need a rest now." He sat on the ground and Clark sat next to him. "Let's watch bugs."
This was one of Clark's favorites, watching just a few inches of soil and the different insects there. He'd watch intently, reporting on what he found. "There's an ant, and it's got a seed. It's taking it home for lunch. And there's a katydid, it's green."
"It sure is."
"And that's a roly-poly, it just uncurled."
"Look, Clark, there's a ladybug." Clark's mouth opened as he stared at the insect. "Can you tell me how many dots it has on its back?"
Clark concentrated, "Three?"
"That's right son, it's got three dots on its back. Look, it's going to fly away now."
"It doesn't have wings."
"It does, but it keeps them hidden. See?" Clark was practically nose to nose with the ladybug as he watched the armored shell on its back lift to reveal its tiny wings. "There it goes."
"Bye-bye, ladybug." Clark turned to Jonathan again. "Fly again?"
"Let me give my arms a rest for a couple more minutes."
"No, you fly, I push."
Jonathan managed not to laugh. From anybody but their son, it would have been ridiculous, but Clark was perfectly capable of it. When Clark started to grin, Jonathan gave in. "All right, just a little." Clark scrambled up and stationed himself behind the tire. Jonathan sat, tucked his legs up so they wouldn't brush the ground, and Clark gave him the first push.
"Daddy's flying!"
Martha rounded the corner just then, carrying the kid that they'd been bottle-feeding, since its mother had milk only for one and had given birth to twins. She waved absently with her free hand, then stopped and looked again in disbelief.
Clark stopped pushing and ran over to her. "Mommy's turn!" As Jonathan untangled himself and got out, Clark led her eagerly. "I flew and then Daddy flew and now Mommy gets to fly." Good thing, Jonathan mused, that Clark made it clear that he'd had the first go, or Martha would never let him forget it.
Clark had been so eager to help that hanging the tire swing took about four times as long as it would have without him and was giggling with excitement as he sat in it and Jonathan came behind him to push.
"Flying!" Clark yelled at the top of his lungs, "Flying!" Jonathan pushed harder on each swing, and Clark wriggled with excitement as each one sent him higher.
Gradually, he slowed down, and told Clark, "My arms need a rest now." He sat on the ground and Clark sat next to him. "Let's watch bugs."
This was one of Clark's favorites, watching just a few inches of soil and the different insects there. He'd watch intently, reporting on what he found. "There's an ant, and it's got a seed. It's taking it home for lunch. And there's a katydid, it's green."
"It sure is."
"And that's a roly-poly, it just uncurled."
"Look, Clark, there's a ladybug." Clark's mouth opened as he stared at the insect. "Can you tell me how many dots it has on its back?"
Clark concentrated, "Three?"
"That's right son, it's got three dots on its back. Look, it's going to fly away now."
"It doesn't have wings."
"It does, but it keeps them hidden. See?" Clark was practically nose to nose with the ladybug as he watched the armored shell on its back lift to reveal its tiny wings. "There it goes."
"Bye-bye, ladybug." Clark turned to Jonathan again. "Fly again?"
"Let me give my arms a rest for a couple more minutes."
"No, you fly, I push."
Jonathan managed not to laugh. From anybody but their son, it would have been ridiculous, but Clark was perfectly capable of it. When Clark started to grin, Jonathan gave in. "All right, just a little." Clark scrambled up and stationed himself behind the tire. Jonathan sat, tucked his legs up so they wouldn't brush the ground, and Clark gave him the first push.
"Daddy's flying!"
Martha rounded the corner just then, carrying the kid that they'd been bottle-feeding, since its mother had milk only for one and had given birth to twins. She waved absently with her free hand, then stopped and looked again in disbelief.
Clark stopped pushing and ran over to her. "Mommy's turn!" As Jonathan untangled himself and got out, Clark led her eagerly. "I flew and then Daddy flew and now Mommy gets to fly." Good thing, Jonathan mused, that Clark made it clear that he'd had the first go, or Martha would never let him forget it.