Dooce's Leta is growing up

I admit I indulge in a little Dooce once in a while and Friday's post squished my heart. She talks about her two-year-old daughter walking off to join neighborhood friends on her own for the first time. This empowering moment has even more significance than usual, because as a baby, they weren't sure Leta's legs would work properly.

"A couple weeks ago you and I were standing outside talking to the neighbors during that enchanted part of the day when the sun is setting and kids are running around trying to pack in as much of life as they can before they are forced to go to bed. Every kid on the block was outside chasing one another, laughing, and swinging from the trees. You stood close to me, your arms wrapped around my leg, and watched the surrounding excitement as if it were a traveling circus. Suddenly a neighbor’s sprinklers went off and that circus converged like a black hole onto that wet yard. You gasped, let go of my leg, and waddled off with the others to feel the spray on your arms and face. The ten seconds that it took you to walk over and play in the water just about knocked me over with their significance: you were walking on your own to be with other children."

The whole post is darling, and hilarious, though sprinkled with mild profanity (this time).

Sweet Leta's growing up.



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