I picked it up!

Sam and I are enjoying our summer so far, especially since we have a pool in our subdivision. He pretty much wakes up every day and asks to go to the pool sometime within the first 30 minutes of being awake. It is close enough to walk, and since he is always wanting to go, you would think I would have to run to keep up with him on the way there. However, that is not the case.

Every time we go, I pack up our swim bag while he stands by the door saying "Let's go!" and as soon as we get about half a block down the street, he randomly stops in the middle of the sidewalk and just stands there. He's not really looking at anything in particular or doing anything - just standing. All my attempts to get him moving are futile, until I either pick him up or he decides to start walking again. I remind him that we are going to the pool, the place he has been asking to go for the last 4 hours, and he still stands there unaffected.

The other day, I was getting quite frustrated (and refusing to carry this 35-pound child for the next 4 blocks when HE was the one who wanted to go to the pool in the first place) and I said (slightly sharply) "Sam - pick up the pace!" He looked at me and started moving! I could not believe it..........until I saw he was not moving in a forward direction. He was bending over. And then he pretended to pick up something off of the sidewalk. And then, with a big grin on his face, said "I got it! I pick up pace!" And then, he did walk forward. Until he stopped. Again. And bent over, pretended to pick up something else, and said "Here you go Mommy. I pick up 'nother pace for you."