DEAN-O

Marly and Dean are regulars at Adventure Park, the indoor play land near our home. Kelly takes them most weeks. At the park, the area is divided for older kids and toddlers. Once inside, Dean can often be found on the Toddler side of the giant window peering at the activities of his more mature counterparts.

Yesterday, Marly was busy playing, then began to miss her brother's interaction. Once again, rather then climbing and sliding, Dean had his nose pressed against the glass curiously observing the "big kid" side.

From her elevated perch on a tree on the plastic play scape, Marly could suddenly be heard by all shouting at the TOP of her lungs,

"DEEEAAAAN-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
"DEEEAAAAAAN-OOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

I love my Twinners.

(In case you are curious, Mark and I do affectionately refer to our little man as "Dean-o".)

**As a complete and total sidenote - while my kids have enjoyed Adventure Park this winter, I admit the idea of children playing on man made trees seems somewhat ridiculous to me. I climbed real live trees with bark, and no protective ground cushion below. I tell you...as my kids grow, I will be shipping them out to the country to whoever will take them, (while of course taking in the real world in our urban setting too). I experience great angst at the idea of them growing up in a "simulated " and "safe" world adults created for them.

And by the way, back in some small towns, there are still a few "dangerous" playgrounds out there with tall slides a teeter-totter too!**