We are finishing our series of Mini celebrations with a Picnic Day report! This doesn’t mean that I don’t expect more celebrations, just changing the theme for a bit 🙂
Over Labor Day weekend, my son was experiencing allergies and just wasn’t feeling his best. Even though we knew this, we really wanted to make the most of a free day and planned a trip to a wonderful local park. Not only are the grounds beautiful but there is a small farm and gardens. When my TBP was much smaller, we visited this location often, but haven’t returned in a while. Most likely, because the fear of bugs became a larger, bigger concern for my son.
Because we decided to have a leisurely morning, we didn’t leave the house as early as we had planned. This meant that it was already warmer than any of us really liked by the time we were getting in the car.
In the car ride, he was excited about the trip.
As we stopped for food for the picnic, he was still excited about the trip.
Once we parked the car and got out and the heat hit us in the face immediately…not so excited about our picnic and farm plans.
We ignored the initial complaints and worries about the itchy grass and the flies and tried to focus on the interesting dragonfly nearby. Quickly we found a picnic table under the shade of a very old, very cool tree. We thought it was the perfect location. We began to eat; I think we held our breath a bit too, realizing that this lunch was taking place on borrowed time. Not long after the Vitamin waters were poured and the chip bags were opened, anxiety climbed.
The grass touching his feet through the flip-flops.
The bugs that came closer since they were interested in our food.
The fly that landed on our picnic table was the final straw.
In his defense, what happened next was due to sensory overload and a boy who clearly wasn’t feeling his best. When he tried to explain how uncomfortable he was because of the bugs, the grass, and the snotty nose, he cried and made everything even more intense.
I was looking forward to seeing the animals, but it did require quite a walk and in the heat, well…I wasn’t terribly excited about it either. Especially since I was still adjusting to walking with my eyes carefully surveying the ground due to my new bifocals.
We walked back to the car with full intention of seeing the farm animals another day; however, once he realized that leaving the park meant no pigs, bunnies, or goats, he said that we wanted to try. He wanted to try to walk despite the bugs, the grass, and the irritating allergy symptoms.
We did…and I’m glad.
After looking at the gardens and the animals (and being around far more bugs than he prefers), I made a point of telling my son how extremely proud I was of him. He put his own discomfort aside and enjoyed what the park had to offer. Last year, I’m quite sure that today would have had a different ending. We would have driven away and he might have regretted what he missed.
That is why Picnic Day is truly mini celebration number 3!
I have included some pictures from the afternoon that almost didn’t happen 🙂
My Twice Baked Potato 