Playtime

R and I drove over to Cardiff today to play with the Bs, who are on half-term, and were in need of fresh meat distraction. After lunch we went with L and the boys to the playground in the nearest park, which was as busy as you'd expect, and had a great time watching them both get up to and into everything. 

This is the biggest slide in the younger children's section, and Bmin could hardly haul himself up the tall steps, but that didn't deter him: up he went (hanging onto Tigger, whose stripy tail is just visible here under his left arm), three-point turned on hands and knees on the top platform, backed onto the top of the slide and let go, zooming down feet first on his tummy. And then back round, several times. "How old is he?" enquired the father of a little girl who was waiting behind him as he dragged himself back up the steps. I quickly did the maths, and replied, "Sixteen months." "Wow!" was the response. "He's a big lad!" He is indeed - and terrifyingly intrepid, wanting and expecting to be able to do everything his big brother does. I'm starting to think that a crash helmet would be a useful addition to his wardrobe.

As we were leaving the park, the Boy Wonder said, "Am I going home with you to your house?" "Not today," I said. "Why not?" he asked. Because you're not clearly wasn't a very good answer, so I told him that he'll be coming to stay with us in a couple of weeks. "When is that?" he said. So I explained as clearly as I could when I'd be collecting him, and how long he'd be staying. He thought about it for a few seconds, then announced, "We need to shake hands on that." We were walking along hand in hand at the time, his right in my left (I'll go into permanent mourning, I think, when he no longer wants to do this), so I let go and stopped, then turned to him and solemnly shook his hand. "Right," he said. "Now we have made a deal, and nobody is allowed to break it." "You're right, I said. "It's a deal." "But," he said. "Also, we should pinky-promise." So we pinky-promised as well, after which he was satisfied, and we were able to go on our way.

Four years old, and so suspicious... they really do grow up fast these days.