Three Places to Play

There are three places in our neighborhood we'll take Jada to play
outside, and yesterday we got to go to all three. Between breakfast
and lunch, we walked to a local park, where we saw the usual cast of
toddlers, nannies, and parents. We let her roam the windy paths and
climb increasingly difficult parts of the jungle gym. We bumped into
a friend from church and one of her kids. We left just as a local
parent was starting up a children's song sing-along, strumming her
guitar before a crowd of at least 25 kids and adults.

Between lunch and dinner, we headed over to the PENN campus, where we
found a patch of grass to let her wander around on. But Jada seemed
to prefer the brick path, and we found ourselves chasing her down
quite far from where we had parked the stroller. She watched a dance
group practicing a routine with colorful fans and sashes, a group of
shirtless frat boys playing wiffleball, and scads of students enjoying
the nice warm day.

After dinner, we headed to the local elementary school to spin on the
spinning thing and watch the older kids climb on the bars. She
watched a bird hop toward her, peck at a bread crumb on the ground,
and then fly away. She waddled towards a beautiful black dog, first
excitedly and then cautiously, only to have it rise up and slurp her
square on the face – twice. She got in her petting and then we headed
home.

Needless to say, it didn't take long for her to fall asleep last
night. I wonder if she dreamt about her three places to play, and if
she wants to go back again today.