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These pictures might not look like a big deal, but they are. Last year it was a big deal to let Matilda touch leaves and dirt. I let her play in a leaf pile once for about five minutes and then into the tub she went. I was terrified and fear got the better of me.
But here we are, a year later, and life seems relatively normal. Matilda cannot get enough of the leaves. She plays hard, running all over the yard laughing with delight. And I stand back in amazement. Everything she does is a big deal. Her life is a big deal.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6YKzkB-kb0B2mWgvseWsx-Q1H6i1IHTUmng_M91BSELbA-YDcuP7OKLeVgPKtt5kWo6DSzVEP_ViXMB58JEe8IR_1LAAQrRW3PlxAVASlHbFc8NsppC9RYhNDunTvh4htcn12SZ11Q4/s640/leaf01.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98qT9VkPGMq46qM9vWjygGr-8DcxNFpaCyPX-t1PT8JJSH3iqJdSpdkBNr7hj2ijMpXA6B-qBkPVTNwvRKqJf9gfsrhw9aDAluX06IZAuX1sYRW5Fqd6jO2ecALBc31sQK0t1_yNFVpg/s640/leaf02.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8u9bsJpe845m8TTg4O9APe_iwHyELkDKJqosfO1mfr_0zuAwUqmOnL5k73uRB2PPznsKGpoR5BF-pijyA_9AdpE44ziXT9o5WT-6sk8ePJ6TyzsvIozME5-WGEWFkCMktF72sYY5E8o/s640/leaf03.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7EEJIzfKz2ZbjqVTJ3VJkvtFCh3pdDWzGJbNAmEKXVGERDcwzx4WNHJWxaL4yDdCvw9YMzWCSskLEgHcDpga9jnA3JevacuD9OQGwnAtDm9sFrxkD_3fB-WxYbtgcY0LuwDDzdJgtpo/s640/leaf04.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzC1GRwqiH-MYI_ykHZtpxmB-e7xITFGM8TQNZ9tFnlRnCBG1aLAFfXcuDSoiiOnpdjK2UXem_qkQ0wgG-Z4l1izq8biuXMD8JC1bWHelQN3IjfNSjouSTtoA13yJaTfRejcx5xLVz4qM/s640/leaf05.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcDJd4k0YJ465vP6cnY5eAYfJ7510Bp3ghAVUtbvnTAvkLKyCaebCwFBr7pdjXMCeyamUhWqOMw_erSxxxWqVwcjWxxbpU58q5KII6_fk6xnKPSwxo7DMsozOzQ63aZXucce3kDBQBLw/s640/leaf06.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4iqsfGuBYztsF5XuAC5YLzpTLmRNC0AVC31PaPuKqduMAE365yLCaADH-GgpqqEE7ozbb8rVfLCR3CtwHMlbUOzXmoXF0iO5Goyw9PROBbr4L5yLn0YTbcJ_KAd16mAPk_jipZd06tk/s640/leaf07.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHv0Xrgw3W1HGiV6fXlWJhy2V9DwOvZSbMxQrNEeFGrGZ_OTiiyQzMqv4ZnlCdirE2ryjNGVm3sHPARkFt2u9S5T4I6flr2nLj9JYSqT_BpHzBpz8VzIiTxM30-MwZBd1xxUlm9uNs6k/s640/leaf08.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhndBXlYDWuD5DQvKu70aAGWeSETXjh_aufIVghsmYQClrt9W-O-1IITi8Pf76t2er9JGaGkZgWkWd8MEJGySO-wzTzVeT9zjjslC4MqMvFssNx-0kJfwc1TZLxzK1Xt_c76dVqgUD3U/s640/leaf09.png)