Lately, my son and I have been playing outside a lot. The sun has been shining, the grass has been fresh and the weather has been warm. My son is at a stage where his curiosity reigns. Besides playing with (and trying to eat) the leaves that he finds in the grass, he loves grabbing dandelions and watching the hairy pieces disintegrate in his little hands. I have shown him what happens when you blow on the white blooms, but since he is still too young to do it himself, I have to watch him explore with his hands instead. And I thoroughly enjoy it. Not only does it make my heart happy to see my little guy learning about the world around him, I am thankful that he is gaining independence by trying to figure things out on his own. Seeing him grab one dandelion and then crawl to the next one that he sees is so much fun. I can see the excitement in his wiggly little bottom as it quickly moves side to side. I love the determined grunting noises that he makes as he maneuvers around the grass. I really miss the infant stage, but this time of exploration is amazing to witness. I hope that someday soon, my little guy will learn how to blow his own dandelions. In the meantime, I am trying to savor every moment watching him learn the ways of nature.