Snow shovels and Green onions

After work today, Rob decided to make a bean salad and Toby and I decided to help. Initially this involved me balancing him on a stool why he grabbed fistfuls of random beans and shoved them into his mouth. That is, until Rob came up with the suggestion that maybe we try to “help” by going down to the garden and getting him one green onion.

Good idea.

We got some sandals on and head out. But not without first making a pitstop in the garage to pick up a snow shovel. OBVIOUSLY.

I tried to convince Toby that he didn’t NEED to bring his giant snow shovel with us to the garden to get a single green onion. But he insisted.
He ALSO insisted on CARRYING it the entire way. Which is no easy feat when the shovel is taller than you are by about a half a foot. And requires a two handed hold. And blocks your view. While you walk down a hill. Quickly. Because you are excited to pick one green onion.

We had quite a few falls. Every time he tripped over the end of it he would brush himself off, pick up the shovel and hand it to me. And then take it back again to try again.

I know I should be supportive of my determined son’s ability to persevere in the face of adversity. But SERIOUSLY. The winter snow shovel had NO PURPOSE coming with us to the garden to pick ONE GREEN ONION.

About 15 minutes later we arrived at the garden, grass stained yet triumphant with snow shovel in hand. The victory was also accompanied in the joy of finally being allowed to PICK something from the garden - - that being (have I mentioned this before?) ONE green onion. But as the shovel banged loudly on the ground, a perplexed but unfortunately determined look resurfaced on Toby’s face. HOW was he going to carry the one green onion AND the snow shovel that required a two handed grip?

His first attempt landed him head first in the garden, completely decimating the OTHER green onions. But by the 4th or 5th attempt he had some sort of weird two handed, green onion and snow shovel duo in his little fists.

As I envisioned the even LONGER journey back up to the house, I was SAVED by…the swing. Perhaps he would have given up anyways at this point or perhaps swinging in the swing is THAT much fun that it usurps both snow shovel carrying AND green onion fetching. Either way, as the swing appeared around the corner from the garden, the snow shovel and onion were laid to rest on the ground and a free handed Toby was at my legs BEGGING to be put in the swing. And I GLADLY obliged.

We sang, we swung, we conquered.

And an hour later when we finally got back to the house green onion in hand, Rob looked at our smiling faces and asked bewilderedly, “What TOOK you so long???”