slide slide slippity slide

just about to the top

It's been a couple months now of stopping off at the park on the way home from work and school. Basically anytime the weather's been above 40 and not rainy, we've stopped. I've lost track of the exact number of times... maybe two dozen?

There was the time a dog pissed the shit out of me- well the owner of the dog, actually. Then there was the realization that my kid was a weirdo. And then there was the time when I wasn't sure if I handled things the right way and wondered if there was such a thing as playground etiquette.

I've learned a lot over the past couple of months in regards to what type of mom I want to be when we go the playground... and what type of kid mine will be. And Lovie? She's learned a lot, too.

She now actually enjoys swinging- though she doesn't care to swing for very long and primarily only wants to swing if others are swinging.

But more than the swing triumph, my girl... well, she's conquered something she's been wanting to do since the first time she was introduced to a slide. She's learned how to climb up the slide using the slide instead of the stairs.

She did it the other day (Wednesday) for the first time and she did so without any coaxing from me. I was actually very proud of her. She slid down the slide, smiled, turned around, and started trying to climb the slide. She flopped down and slid back down several times and each time, she smiled and immediately started trying to climb. Then by her fifth or sixth try, she made it all the way to the top. (The only reason I let her continue trying is because A. this was all natural instinct to her, B. she wasn't harming herself or anyone else, C. there was only one other child in the park and he was more interested in watching her try to climb than going down the slide himself {i asked him!}.) 

So now whenever she goes down the slide with glee...

excuse the pants she's wearing- they're part of her daycare clothes if needed and she needed them yesterday

...she turns right back around and tries climbing it again. The only problem now is that when there are other kids, I have to grab her to allow them to have a turn or she'll monopolize the damn slide like she owns it or something. Which she kinda does at only (not quite yet) 17 months old.

That's my girl. She's badass like that. ; )

(second photo being submitted for the PM's Blue challenge)