GIRL!!!

We got the news on Monday that our new little edition will be of the female variety. So yes, a GIRL. We are excited but a little nervous to make the transition from the train world. I was really expecting a My Three Sons line up and was surprised by the verdict. Now that I've had a couple of days to process, I'm excited to go pink. Matthew never deviated on his insistence that the baby was a girl and seemed to have a sense about it. Even before knowing, any of his references were always in a female context. I called her "him" just because I have gotten "hims" in the past. Hopefully the ultrasound is correct since this news is going to involve some bedroom rearranging and I really don't want to paint needlessly.

For those to whom we have neglected to mention that we are expecting another baby--my apologies. Life seems to move fast these days and even faster on the third. We can't wait to meet her come the end of July.

Giveaway Sponsor

My little company, My Growing Season, is sponsoring a give away on the mom blog I Never Grew Up. It's kind of fun and exciting. Readers can register to win a product of their choosing from my website. I'm not exactly big-time but it's fun to see other people be excited about the products. If you want to register to win, check it out at http://www.inevergrewup.net/

Salute to the Fix-It Guy

I just have to note what a blessing it is to be married to a fix-it man. I am ready to head to the scrap pile with broken items when Corbin without fail takes a look at it and restores it to functionality. This week alone he saved a towing trip for the car, a Dust Buster, a clock and the dryer. Spencer lodged a comb in the dryer drum while "helping" with laundry. Now I will turn his attention to the canned light in the living room, the camera, and mixer and see what he can do with those.

Corbin is a repair marvel. Maybe he missed his calling as an appliance repair man but now is repairing teeth, so I guess it's all in the same family.

p.s. I'd post a photo of him but as previously explained. . . I'm without a camera!

How Did We Ever Survive?

Draper Park, UT

The pavilion at Huffnagle Park, Quarryville PA

Last night Matthew was unusually tired at bedtime and hopped into bed with the light off. I took this as a sign that I could get out of story reading. He is destined to be a great negotiator because somehow we never end up reading the amount of books I specify but that's another post. In lieu of books, I asked him if he wanted me to tell him a story about "when I was a little girl".

I have to admit that I have a hard time coming up with stories that seem intriguing. My dad's stories always seemed more attractive than what I can muster up. Regardless, I took a stab and told him about the 19,453 hours I logged at Huffnagle Park located in the borough of Quarryville (yes, I technically grew up in a borough in a small hamlet in Southern Lancaster County, PA). I attempted to describe in as much detail as a drifting four year old would want, exactly how I repeatedly maneuvered the sledding hill. It was a gigantic hill--NOT. But it sure did seem like that back when I wore my snowmobile suit and carried a candle to wax the runners. Yes, those days are long gone. Sadly, sleds have come a long way baby.

Then I offered up narratives about my favorite pieces of playground equipment. The swings and merry-go-round seemed to mostly vie for my attention. I could swing all day. I was very careful not to ever walk in front or back of any swings because my mom told me repeatedly that John Lundwall got smacked in the head with a swing and had to have stitches. Yep, that was enough to keep me on high alert.

I have returned to Huffnagle Park the past few years when I've been home to give my kids my childhood experience. Alot has changed but the cement climbing turtle with faded yellow and red paint has stood the test of time.

After my little bundle was safely snoring (we probably should have him checked because he's rather loud) my mind took me back to the details of what now would be considered liability riddled equipment. How on earth did we ever survive? There was a tall metal free-standing sliding board. And yes there were "incidents" at the top--my brother had one--but my unsuspecting parents didn't think to sue the manufacturer and make us all rich. My mom just loaded him in the red wagon and rushed him around the corner for stitches to Dr. Helm who "practiced" out of the first floor office of his house on Church Street.

I think the swings had wooden seats when I was very small but were upgraded to rubber by pre-puberty. I distinctly recall that the baby swings were metal and horror of all horrors--did NOT have a saddle strap. Somehow I don't recall ever seeing a baby slide under and bounce off the grass.

And the the accident waiting to happen merry-go-round--how on earth did we do it? It had (gasp) blacktop under it of all things. Surely you would need a Band-Aid if you took a tumble. Strangely enough I don't recall ever falling off or remember anyone else ever falling off. Maybe we were stronger back then and had perfected our grip because we had less TV to watch. I don't know it worked but it did. The school even had a merry-go-round. Try to get that one past the PTA today. We didn't lose one borough child to that nasty equipment that I am aware of. If we did, my parents never mentioned it, but I'm going to have to go with my original conculsion because had we lost one, we would have all heard about it. The town is small.

I firmly believe in being safe. I certainly want my kids to be safe. A few years ago our favorite park in Draper upgraded it's playground equipment. There are barred open spaces to prevent kids from falling at towering heights and various other safety improvements, for which we are grateful. They did remove the metal digger which pinched fingers. That one was actually a good move. However, plastic bongo drums were also installed.

That's right--Plastic. Bongo. Drums.

Come on, if you're six, which would you rather have--a merry-go-round or a set of bongo drums?