There is a hammock in our back yard. We bought it before we fully furnished our house, before we bought outdoor furniture even. It was a priority. When two trees grow hammock-width apart, after all, you must fulfill their hammock-hanging destiny. Almost immediately after seeing our back yard for the first time, I had visions of sunny afternoons spend swinging, suspended by the hammock's soft cotton ropes. Maybe there was a book in hand; perhaps it was a drink. Either way, relaxation was part of the plan.
So I ordered our hammock and hung it tight between the trees. In three years, before becoming pregnant with Cecile, how many times had I relaxed in our hammock? Four times. Maybe five ... tops. Don't get me wrong. When I did make time to be cradled by our hammock, it was delightful. But what I failed to admit to myself prior to getting our hammock was that I have a hard time sitting still for long. So sadly, most of the time the hammock hung alone.
This is no longer the case. These days our hammock is used nearly every sunny day. Many days, it is used more than once. More than twice, even. That is because Cecile loves the hammock. Cranky after waking from a nap? Bored of our toys? Bogie need to go out? To the hammock we march.
Oh, how Cecile loves to swing, swing, swing. We play peek-a-boo over the ropes. I catch her toes, tickle her tummy when the hammock rocks my way. Giggle fits ensue. Cecile rolls over in the soft hammock ropes and looks to the ground, watching the earth pass beneath her.
When Cecile and I share the hammock, Bogie will run around and beneath and around us. It takes C every ounce of concentration to track her around and across and over and through the yard. Such a game!
^^Baby girl reaching for my camera. Always :)^^
So, at last, the hammock is a success story. The hammock-width-apart trees are happy, the hammock is happy, Cecile is happy, and--after 15 minutes or so of swinging and rocking my baby girl--she tuckers out ... and I finally find that relaxation.
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