Duck.

Last Monday evening I found myself at wit's end. Emme's energy had sky-rocketed to an  insurmountable level and Delaney was fighting her last nap of the day like a boxing champ. If the three of us were going to survive until dinner time, I needed to act fast. After attempted games of Memory, craft-time, playing Barbie and play-dough, I had played all my cards and was close to losing this round. A last ditch effort,  I stashed the girls in the car and headed to Emme's future elementary school's playground.

Relief. D falls asleep on the car ride and Emme's inner diva seems to have taken five. The unseasonably warm, 50 degree January evening is just what this crazed momma needed to regain her footing. Delaney is as snug as a bug in the stroller, so Em & I start a game of hide n' seek.

Emme climbs the ladder to the top of the twirly slide and beings to count. "1, 2, 3.... Mom are you hiding?" "Yes Emme. Finish counting." The kid already knows how to squint her eyes to pretend they are closed, but are open just enough to still see. Her head follows in my direction as she counts. "4, 5!" Emme slips down the slide and looks around for me. She pretends to be looking for me even though she knows right where I am. After "searching" in a two other possible hiding spots she wanders over to the rock wall and shouts, "Mom, I found you! Your turn to count." I count to five and take my time finding her as she waits crouched under a set of vented steps. When I find her, she giggles and tells me to go hide.

This time she is counting on the ground. I make a beeline for the little tower at the top of the twirly slide. This is where our lovely game of mother/daughter hide n' seek goes very wrong. Emme is counting and I am running full speed to the top of the twirly slide. Not a great move for a 5' 7" adult playing on the kindergarten playground. Well, mom forgets to duck as she enters the little tower made for three foot individuals and WHACK! Yes, that is the sound my head made as it plowed into the plastic tower entrance. I seriously think I saw stars at this point, but tried to collect myself as the school Daisy troop makes their way onto the playground. Emme looks at me horrified. I try to reassure her I am fine as my head is pounding so hard it actually has a pulse. I squeeze my adult rear-end down the twirly slide just as the Daisy troop takes over the playground. Emme decides she is ready to head home.

The next day the weather is just as tempting to head outdoors. I offer to take Emme to the playground if she takes her nap. She gives me a very serious look, the kind someone gives you when they are about to tell you something of great importance. "Mom, that playground didn't really work out for you. I don't think it's a good idea." Point taken, kiddo.