Slip and Slide

Does anyone else have fond memories of a certain long, yellow, vinyl contraption in their yard as a kid? Well, does anyone? Cause I don't! I don't think we actually owned one ourselves, but childhood friends certainly did, and I remember it being quite the kick in the pants. Thinking about the old slip and slide takes me back to days when I would run and ride my bike until the sun went down. It was PUNISHMENT to have to come inside early. Me and the neighborhood pals would climb trees, sit around the pond, walk, talk, hatch evil plans to snag the boy of our dreams, etc. Do kids even still do that these days? Without the use of a cell phone or text messaging? It's bizarre to me (and has been for awhile) that kids spend hours on end playing video games and chatting on the computer and texting each other back and forth...don't kids play anymore???

Of course, that makes me sound like an old, stodgy person, so I'll stop with that little diatribe right there. What I really want to talk about is my baby, playing in the good old (HOT Florida) outdoors. Specifically, in our backyard, with a slip and slide.

At first, he didn't quite get what it was all about. Mommy had to break out her bathing suit and show him. (Mommy is forever grateful to Daddy for not snapping unflattering pictures of her behind on the tiny, fragile Slip and Slide.) Once he saw the old SNS in action, though, the boy was hooked!

The approach:

The sizing up:

Going for it!

Monkey Boy just giggled and giggled and begged to do it again, over and over. And of course, we let him - until the thunder started, then we high-tailed it back in the house. He was covered in dirt and grass that his daddy had mowed earlier that afternoon, and happy as a clam.

I love that he is developing a sense of adventure outside of the normal climbing all over the furniture and jumping off of things. We just finished our first round of "swim lessons" in which I was a willing participant. We did a parent/child class, and his real, no-mommy-or-daddy-in-the-pool-or-anywhere-near-him classes start on July 10. I am excited to pass along my love of the water to my little man, but nervous with the whole "not being right there" deal. Oh well, what's a mommy to do? Gotta go for it!

I had to get a few action shots in - he was concentrating too hard to really ham it up for my ever-present camera, but I did get a few good ones getting down on his level. I love having a record of these moments and the memories we make as a family.

As long as we continue to omit those of my behind on a slip and slide :)