Today is a beautiful Spring day in Chicagoland. After eating some lunch, I asked C (M is at school) if she would like to go for a walk. She replies that she would like to go to “Grandma’s Park” in her wagon. She also decides to bring her stuffed animal, SnuffleBally and a small library book. She tells me she wants to sit in the wagon (it is a two seater Radio Flyer) on the side that is not by the handle. “I want to see you, Mommy” she says. So off we go.
It is a lovely walk. C is talking/reading her book to her doggie and I am getting some good exercise pulling her along. I think I know what she means by “Grandma’s park” (we have four parks within walking distance from our house) so I start walking towards that one. Well, as we approach the park I think is “Grandma’s Park” she starts complaining to me that this is NOT “Grandma’s Park.” Even though I thought this would be it because it is the closest to Grandma’s house, I was wrong. So I ask her where Grandma’s park is. She says it is on “Busy Street.” I am starting to get frustrated. “There is no street called ‘Busy Street!'” I reply. She starts pointing towards the other park, so off we go.
As we approach the next park, I ask her if this is Grandma’s Park. She replies yes. Hallelujah I asked her why this is Grandma’s park. Is it because Grandma took you here once? She doesn’t really reply. A mystery. We continue walking towards the park. She then notices babies and/or toddlers at said park. As I am about to pull the wagon into the park she tells me in an anguished voice: “There are babies there. I don’t want to go here.”
So. Yeah. We finally get to “Grandma’s Park” and what do we do? We turn around and head home. Of course we do.
Just so happened to get this book at our local library this morning…