The Itsy Bitsy Spider

Ken left before dawn this morning to fly to Shanghai. I took the kids back to Smith Memorial Playground this morning. We started off by going down the wooden slide a couple of times, but then we went inside and had the basement to ourselves where the kids had their choice of scooters and plastic cars. Bryn surprised me by demonstrating her ability to ride a tricycle. Then we went back outside where we explored some of the cool, contemporary playground equipment. One large apparatus looks like a spider web made of ropes for climbing. When I saw the size of the gaps between the ropes, I told Bryn that I thought she was still a little too small to play on the spider web. But, boy, did she prove me wrong! She had such a great time climbing in and out of the spider web that she continued to play here while I pushed Luke on the swings. I've never before gone to the playground with Bryn when she hasn't spent time -- and a good chunk of it -- swinging. I can't wait for Ken to see Bryn as a spider when he gets back. Six photos off Bryn's climbing prowess follow.












We left the playground just before lunch, and Aline came over in the early afternoon so I could take Bryn to Emily Maran's 4th birthday party. The princess party was at Emily's house, right next to ours, and activities included decorating wands and tiaras; making beaded bracelets using elastic cord; playing tape-the-crown-on-the-princess's head -- Bryn, her shyness kicking in, was the only girl of 12 who declined to participate in this game; and a pinata that opened up with the pull of a string. (Here, again, Bryn refused to try to open the pinata by pulling one of the many strings that hung from it, but she squealed with delight when the trap door opened and candy and trinkets fell to the floor.) We might just have to do this kind of pinata at Bryn's next birthday party. As for Bryn's shyness, I wonder if she would have participated a bit more if I hadn't been around. Not all parents were there, and because Lori had hired two high school girls to help with the party, my assistance wasn't always needed. I wasn't around when Bryn made her two bracelets or when she decorated her crown, and I know that she had to interact with the high school girls during these activities.

It rained all afternoon, beginning around 1:00, so I was relieved that the kids and I had gotten out in the morning. I felt as though the afternoon was beginning to drag around 5:00, so we watched video until dinnertime. Both kids were asleep by or around 8:30, but I still had ahead of me laundry, dishes, packing Bryn's lunch for school tomorrow, straightening up the playroom and basement, and giving Luke a nebulizer treatment as he woke up this morning with a very runny nose. Once again, I marvel at single parents. One down, and eight more days and nights to go until Ken's home.

P.S. Congratulations, Penguins, on reaching the Stanley Cup Finals with an impressive 6-0 victory over the Flyers. :)