Monday Night Blues in Mystic

 The Bubs hung out with friends and family at an outdoors blues concert next to the Mystic river tonight. It was one of the first times that he voluntarily sat in his stroller. He enjoyed himself running around our blanket and chairs, but he surprised us choosing to climb back into his stroller.

Perhaps it was the mellow rhythm from the combination of an upright bass and harmonica? Or maybe it was the cool evening summer breeze blowing in off of the river? The crowd was relaxed and there were no Moshe pits being created. This was blues. I think the Bubs felt the mood of the concert goers and the music and just went with it.

Our friend, Lisa, took the Bubs for a ride in his stroller to a nearby ice cream parlor. It was just over the river's drawbridge. The Bubs was excited. Lisa and the Bubs left and returned a short time later. All went well (Lisa has experience). However, he was no longer wanting to just chill in his stroller. His ice cream was just kicking in. So we got him to do some dancing... or should I say jumping. He jumped and rolled around to the festive music in the air.

I took him around the grassy area where everybody sat and I brought him along the river. Between the lawn and the water was a boardwalk, where some people were dancing. The Bubs knew that was where I least wanted him, so that is where he chose to hang out. I decided to just make sure that he didn't go near the water. As he walked, I walked. As he ran, I ran. When he stepped one way, I mirrored his every move. He apparently caught on to my strategy. He somehow knew that I would leave him free to explore if he didn't go near the boardwalk's edge by the river.

I was happy that we seemed to have come to an "understanding" without saying a word to each other... like some sort of Jedi mind control. I began thinking how I could use this power to get him back to the stroller and see if he'd be interested in just chilling again (I was tired).


 In hindsight, I realize that I was being hustled by a two-year-old.  All the time I thought I was managing him by the water, he was really managing me.