Trying to Beat the Heat

I try to bring Aiden out to one of the million parks here at least three days a week. Otherwise, he has so much pent up energy that he starts acting like a cave man. However, I don't know if I've mentioned it before but: IT'S REALLY HOT HERE. I can only stand on a sunny, sweltering playground for so long before I start going crazy myself.

One option would be to start bringing him to the beach, but taking Aiden to the beach is a very long, dirty process that involves multiple changes of clothes, about four towels per person, a gallon of sunblock and several chaperons just to make sure he doesn't get lost/sunburned/sand in his eyes. I can't do that without Sean.

Aha, our apartment complex has a pool! Easy solution, except it's been closed for over a week (I have no idea why).

So, that left us with the sprinkler area at the park. The park here has a whole rubber floored section where they've installed about twelve fountains and geysers of various sizes. We'd noticed that once June started the playground was deserted and everyone was over there. So, we decided to check it out today.

When we first arrived it was pretty empty, with lots of little guys and gals toddling around through the water. Aiden was a little nervous and clung to me while carefully exploring. Then, naturally, three whole buses of school kids unloaded and the place turned into a jungle of screaming children. Aiden loved running around and splashing with all of the other kids, but it turned me into a nervous wreck (I forgot how gross it can be to stand in ankle deep water with a bunch of strangers. Where have their feet been?! This is why I hate water parks.).

Checking out the scene

It started out calm and refreshing, with everyone sharing the fountains nicely, but as it happens with most parties, everything kind of got out of control. It ended up with Aiden getting trampled twice by seven year old girls, me getting splashed by a group of boys trying to karate chop the water, and somebody nearly stepping on a little guy who couldn't even walk yet. Yes, I snapped up Aiden, marched to our stuff, and headed back to the car.

Why, hello every summer camp in the Charleston area, nice to meet you!

Somehow, despite getting stepped on and splashed, Aiden LOVED it. He was so sad to leave, and I almost felt bad, but I was getting really annoyed with the screaming and splashing and knocking into each other. Yeah, I really feel like a grumpy old lady after today. I remember when all of that was so much fun: when you're a kid it never occurs to you that shouting at the tops of your lungs might bother someone, or that grown-ups get nervous when you start roughhousing with your friends on a hard, slippery surface.

It's okay mom, I've got this

Despite my own feeling about it, I know we'll be back because he was so comfortable with the other kids and had such a blast. Hopefully it won't be quite so crowded next time, but I guess I'm going to have to get over it: we've got a lot of this coming in the next sixteen years.