If we take Zoe to the park for a half-hour, she will spend 20 minutes of that time watching what all the other kids are doing. It’s not that she’s shy, really. She loves other kids, and will happily play with them — once she’s watched them for a bit.

This particular photo was taken after she triumphantly climbed to the top of the slide. She had grabbed my hand and dragged me clear across the park to go down this particular slide. Once we got there, a bunch of older boys were playing on the slide. The boys were being polite, and would have let Zoe climb up to take a turn, but despite my encouragement, she wouldn’t budge from my side. She wouldn’t leave, either. In the end, she stood there watching the boys play, and waited over ten minutes for them to clear off the slide, and then after they left, she happily took over.