In With The New ...

The new playground is here. They moved its location; it's behind the school, now, so it's no longer in view from the house, but it's definitely close enough.

I'm a little disappointed with it, though it feels strange to say that since it costs $70,000+. Seems like we should be thrilled with a playground made of that kind of money. It's definitely more age appropriate for its location, at an elementary school ... it's just not age appropriate for my one year old. Not yet. But he'll grow into it.

This play set has just one entrance ramp; all others points of entrance are a little too advanced. Still, he finds the ramp just fine. The big slides didn't deter him; he's been down similar ones before. Even the 'big kid' swings appealed to him. He ran around this new structure just as he explored every new environment -- with vigor.

But on our third or forth visit to the park he had a run-in with the slide. It curved, he didn't, and he came out the bottom with battle wounds: a slide burn on his chin. Poor fellow. He hollered for a minute and then brushed it off.

Surprisingly, unlike other bumps and bruises he has acquired, the affects of this run-in lasted longer than the bodily marks. Weeks later, Calvin still hesitates at the top of slides. He'll climb up to the top of any ladder and sit down, but doesn't go farther than that without pause.

I hate that he's been hurt on a play set, but am thankful that my little daredevil is demonstrating a little more caution. It seems ... age appropriate.

For now he can run around the structure and throw little stones down the big slides. And in the meantime, there's one thing that's just perfect for him: music. There are some hollow poles that chime in a scale sequence when batted.