The brilliance of indoor parks

I can't believe we didn't join last year. Man. Whoever came up with this idea deserves a medal. Yesterday I took Ava and Alder to preview one of the local indoor parks. Brilliant! Ava was instantly in love and she talked about it all day, even though we were only there for about 20 minutes. It is cheap ($40), it is open every weekday, everyone gets a key, and there are lots of toys, climbing structures, and slides to wear the kids out for naptime. My only complaint has to be the somewhat limited hours (9:30-3:00), which I assume is a function of the building the indoor park lives in (local fire station).

There are two parks in Corvallis - one for younger kids (~6 months to 3 years) and one for older kids (~18 months to 5 years). I've chosen to join the younger one this year. I think it is all new enough that Ava will stay engaged this year, and this way it is more appropriate for Alder as he grows this winter. The trick will be negotiating their naps so we can come and play, since they will be on opposite nap schedules for much of the winter. But I'm confident we can do it.

Man, the brilliance of indoor parks...especially for the rainy Pacific Northwest. I think I'm in love.

Playground jungle

I unleashed my mommy defenses on a grade-schooler on the playground today. The kid was pushing Ava, as she STOOD BACKWARDS at the TOP of a very tall curly slide. I just had these images of Ava flying off the top of the slide, head-first, straight down into the dirt. I couldn't help myself. I just yelled out, "DO NOT PUSH HER" and boy was I loud. The mom of the kid I was yelling at heard me and came over to see what was happening. I immediately apologized for yelling at her daughter, but she thanked me and said it probably taught her a lesson being yelled at by another parent. I felt really bad...but really...my 2-year old wasd about to be shoved backwards standing up off a very tall platform. It terrified me. And then later another kid followed Ava around hissing at her. Lovely.

I don't think I'm ready for the playground bullies to be unleashed on my innocent little toddler.