holy jeans

Most of my favorite jeans have holes in the knees and I so consider them both holey and holy. Although I don't mind the look, the tattered holes are not intentional. Those ripped knees are the product of countless months of teaching Calvin to crawl. He did not learn to crawl of his own volition. Practice crawling was a daily exercise that he endured with some reluctance, at least at first. Teaching him was both arduous and monotonous and we practiced hours each day from the moment when most kids learn to walk until he was just over two, at which time he was able to creep a few feet on his own.

Learning to crawl was hard work for Calvin. He could not hold his head up well if at all. His little arms were weak and he did not coordinate his movements much less understand why he had to. Down on all fours I supported his torso with one hand and with the other moved each limb in sequence - right arm, left leg, left arm, right leg - and so on. We rehearsed this unremittingly for months on end until we got results.

Calvin has never crawled very far or very well, but he crawls nonetheless. Even now it is sometimes, though rarely, his mode of transport. It is sheer delight to see him with a desired goal in sight and, with great enthusiasm, scramble to reach it.

I have become very fond of all of my holy jeans.