Jumping With My Toes

Riyu is very anti-socks these days.

It’s winter in Chicago and this boy wants to walk outside in Crocs, fully sock-less.

When we’re just dropping Ishu off at school, I’ll throw him in the stroller with the cozy ganoosh so it’s not like the END OF THE WORLD if he’s barefoot.

But when we actually have to be outside, it’s game over.

It’s endless negotiation.

Promises of candy.

SWEATY GAMES OF CHASING HIM AROUND THE HOUSE.

Anyway, we’ve been OK thus far. Apparently his sock-less feet don’t get that cold.

But when we go to the trampoline park, it’s GAME OVER.

He hates socks.

He REALLY hates the socks with the little bumpies on the bottom.

Yesterday, I kept Ishu home from school and decided to take the boys to the trampoline park. It took me – I KID YOU NOT – 50 minutes to convince this child to wear the socks.

At first, there was a lot of screaming and throwing himself on the ground before we even walked up the stairs to the trampolines.

Then, I decided to carry him up there so he could see what he was missing, but he just sat in my lap, calmly watching the kids, not one bit jealous.

Eventually, he slid off my lap and started inching toward the trampoline. He looked back at me.

“Nope,” I said, “You gotta wear the socks first.”

“NO, I wanna jump with my TOES.”

“Nope, no toes allowed. We gotta wear socks.”

So what does he do?

He starts jumping. Not ON the trampoline, mind you.

On the SIDE. Up and down the perimeter of the trampoline. Having a grand old time.

When he finally seemed interested enough, I scooped him up and brought him onto the trampoline and I think the adrenaline rush from jumping OFF the trampoline worked in my favor cause he let me put the socks on mid-jump.

And then we were set for the remainder of our time there. With no more complaints.

But wowie.

What a trip.

This kid.

In other news, Sister made Caro Chambers’ skillet turkey burgers last week and suggested I do the same. We had them for dinner yesterday.