No Edmund Photos Available:
I Give You the Binturong
I can be painfully shy at times although I try my best to hide it. I am some strange mix between an introvert and an extrovert. I really don't like boisterous parties, but I also don't like to spend my days alone in thought. I love being with people, just not huge groups of them. So it can be very difficult for me when Steven isn't around. I want to be able to do things with people, but I also don't want to impose. I couldn't take another weekend cooped up by myself without adult company, so after two days of mulling over how I should approach the issue, I decided to casually mention to Jennifer that if she had some free time we should take our kids somewhere. She said she'd been wanting to go to the Carolina Tiger Rescue in Pittsboro, but her husband wasn't interested. Lo and behold, I'd been wanting to see some tigers myself, and Steven wasn't interested. Perfect!
I wasn't sure what to expect from the Carolina Tiger Rescue (formerly Carnivore Preservation Trust). When we arrived we had to sign our lives and our children's lives away on a very lengthy release form. We then sat in a room with about twenty other tour group members while the tour guides went over some rules. As Emma and Edmund ran around the room we listened as the tour guides relayed the two most important rules for viewing carnivores: no running and no screaming. If we hadn't already driven more than 30 minutes and paid for the tour, that would have been my cue to get up and leave. We hadn't even started the tour and my child was breaking both rules. I didn't feel too embarrassed. His partner in crime, Emma, was breaking the rules too.
The tour guides didn't seem to mind (or be aware of) our screaming, running children, so we set off. Of course Jennifer and I constantly reminded our kids about the rules. We didn't want to be escorted off the premises for unruly toddlers. The first animal we encountered was an ocelot. I'm all about some wildlife education, but the ten year old boy who kept pushing his way to the front asked question upon question. He also made certain we knew he was a carnivore expert and gave a small speech in front of the ocelot that lasted nearly ten minutes. If this was the way our tour was going to go, there was no way Edmund and Emma were going to make it past the ocelot. After our young carnivore expert finished his lecture, our main tour guide began hers. Her speech was peppered with "oh honey" this and "oh honey" that. She liked to spook us all with her warnings of "oh honey, that cat may be small, but she could rip you to shreds with her front paws." And so it went the next hour and a half.
The Carolina Tiger Rescue is all about tigers, but my favorite animal of the tour was the binturong, or Asian Bearcat. They live in rainforests and hang around in the trees. As we learned on our tour not all carnivores eat meat. Carnivores are so-called based on their jaw structure. The binturong we saw enjoyed a diet of fruit, most especially bananas. Edmund was most impressed with the climbing ability of the binturong and commented that he wanted to play on its playground one day. I was most impressed with the fact this carnivore was about as likely to attack me as a snail. Emma and Edmund both decided after seeing the binturong they were ready to go home, and made sure our fellow "tourists" were aware of this fact. Unfortunately, we would have had to ask a tour guide to escort us back to our cars. We had been locked in the "compound" and were unable to travel without trusty tour guide Jim, so we pressed on.
The tigers were interesting, but weren't interested in meeting us. They had just received food and that took priority. We walked past a tiger named Emerson, but he was having a "bad day," so we were quickly escorted to the kinkajous. Edmund really had had enough. He was tired and sweaty. Despite this fact he was the only one on our tour to spot the kinkajou. His excited squeal of "it come out" was enough to make the entire group make a u-turn. No animal to see meant the tour would adjourn, but Edmund's keen eyes earned us one more lecture. I'm pretty certain Edmund would have kept his kinkajou spotting a secret if he knew it meant we weren't leaving. Jennifer and I could no longer let our little toddlers suffer. It had been a long day of carnivore learning. We asked Jim to take us back, but what do you know? The tour was over and we all made it back unscathed.
Jennifer wanted to get Emma a Carolina Tiger Rescue t-shirt before we left. I'm fairly certain she has a few years before she'll be able to walk in it without tripping, but at least she'll remember our fun-filled (make that sweltering) day. I never buy trinkets for Edmund when Steven is around, but he wasn't, so I let Edmund pick out a small stuffed tiger. And Edmund deserved it. Asking a toddler to go that long without running and screaming is like asking a doctor to go 36 hours without sleep. It can be done, but at a cost. When we got home I asked Edmund what he had named his tiger. Her name is Jennifer and she has been a beloved sleep friend ever since. Jennifer feels honored to have such a wonderful namesake too.
To Parents of Toddlers:
Although I enjoyed learning about the carnivores with Edmund and Emma, this is an activity best left for the older kiddos. Or better yet, leave the kids with a babysitter and learn about the carnivores with your hubby (that is if they have interest in large cats). There is no stroller access on the tour. I thought this would be fine, as I rarely use the stroller these days. Edmund hates strollers. However, he decided he hated walking this particular day too. My back and neck are still recovering from carrying Edmund through the sweltering heat. His refusal to walk helped with the no-running rule, but not with my already bad back. However, if you want your toddler to take the best nap of his life, take this tour. Edmund slept nearly four hours when we got home, which meant I was able to do all the laundry and have some me time. I also heard that Emma enjoyed quite a lengthy nap herself that afternoon.
One Other Piece of Info.:
I have no pictures to post because I was cheap and didn't want to pay the $3 to take pictures. Even photography requires a lengthy release form at this place.
Location and Contact Info:
1940 Hanks Chapel Rd.
Pittsboro, NC 27312
919-542-4684
This past week Edmund discovered Richard Scarry's book "What Do People Do All Day?" in the back of his closet bookshelf. He refers to it as "People Do All Day," and is more or less obsessed with the book. It's a long book and we have the abridged edition. I'd love to see what the unabridged edition is like. Reading this book is the closest we've come to chapter books. Edmund is especially taken with the "chapter" entitled "The Train Trip." He loves looking at the illustrations of Busytown critters engaged in a variety of antics. Edmund's developing sense of humor is never more evident than when he is looking at one particular picture. In this illustration a pig floats down a river following the hat that has toppled off his head. Edmund laughs uproariously every time we get to this page. I'm hoping years down the road I won't have to send my child to a counselor because he found this pig's misfortune laughable. I suppose I should count my blessings. We haven't reached potty humor yet!
One thing that struck me almost immediately about "What Do People Do All Day?" is how sexist the book is. The copyright date is 1968. Granted I wasn't around in that decade, but I was under the impression this was a time in America's history when feminism was coming to the forefront with a vengeance. In fact, my research on Scarry turned up the fact his wife was also a writer. Thus, I'm taken aback by the lack of female critters in Busytown's workforce. There is the occasional female secretary and nurse, but for the most part the role of women in Busytown is summed up by these two sentences, "Grocer Cat bought a new dress for Mommy. She earned it by taking such good care of the house."(Scarry, pg. 8). And as far as Scarry is concerned, mail carriers and firefighters don't exist. These professions are reserved for the menfolk.
Most of the "chapters" in "What Do People Do All Day?" chronicle "a day in the life" of the creatures of Busytown. The stories still hold up today, save for the lack of women role models. But I don't know what Scarry was thinking when he wrote "A Visit to the Hospital." Poor Bunny Abby. She has to have her tonsils taken out, so a very pregnant Mommy Bunny drops Abby off at the hospital and leaves. That's right. Mommy Bunny has better things to do with her time. Never mind her small child who is probably shaking in her rabbit feet at the thought of surgery and a hospital full of strange equipment. And what do you know? Mommy Bunny returns shortly thereafter to deliver the newest member of the bunny family. Perhaps Mommy Bunny would have been better off supporting little Abby in her time of need, seeing as she had to return to the hospital anyway. Who knows what these bunnies were thinking? Clearly they need a lesson or two in efficiency.
I certainly enjoyed Richard Scarry's books as a child and I've decided to let Edmund read and enjoy them too. At first when I noticed the sexism, my first inclination was to ban the book. He's a two year old who should see the sunny side of life. However, when I really reflected on this I found my reaction ridiculous. Many books we now read in high school English were banned, but now we read them and learn from them. I'm sure I might feel differently if say, Grocer Cat were running a drug house, but he's not. He's making an honest living running a grocery store. Some people may not agree with me, but I feel I can use this book to teach Edmund about how different people, or in this case, animals, can do a variety of things. It's a great spring board for conversation. Plus, if there's one thing this book has going it for it, it's diversity. Lion doctors operate on fluffy bunnies while dogs and cats work side by side in harmony. If that's not diversity I don't know what is.
Edmund Takes Off
(His Landing Can Be Viewed Below)
My blog readings and the local magazine "Carolina Parent" have recently brought the Airport Observation Park at Raleigh-Durham International Airport to my attention. Our family's move to Durham has brought us much closer to RDU, so I figured we ought to take Edmund to check it out.
It was raining the day of our planned adventure, but by the afternoon the showers had slowed to a drizzle. Steven had some free time this particular afternoon so we decided to head to the airport despite the sprinkle. After a bunch of twists
and turns through the airport streets we arrived at RDU Observation Park. The rain had stopped and the sky started to clear. When we parked, Edmund started shouting "PS truck, PS truck." I looked around and informed him there were no UPS trucks around, but said we would keep our eyes peeled for one. Edmund was adamant that he saw a "PS truck" and started pointing frantically. Then it occurred to me he was pointing to a plane with a UPS logo. I said "oh I see it . You see a UPS plane." Edmund gave a relieved sigh, settled back into his seat, and calmly stated, "PS plane." He's been looking for UPS planes ever since, but it can be difficult to see a logo when the thing it is on is thousands of miles above your head.
After the UPS excitement we headed to the observation deck where several families were already gathered. Edmund enjoyed looking at the smaller planes parked below. Steven gave Edmund a lesson about control towers while we waited to see our first plane take off. Edmund was at the edge of his seat as he learned about air traffic controllers and the control tower and informed us "I go to control tower one day." Upon completing his mini lesson Edmund spotted a plane heading down the runway. He was fascinated as the plane sped up and lifted into the air. I can't speak for Steven, but I was also in awe of the aerodynamics I was witness to. It is one thing to take off in a plane, but quite another to see it take off up close. Edmund wanted more planes and so did I.
While we waited to see the next plane take off, Edmund was spouting his new knowledge of aviation. He was proudly informing us that a pilot is the person who drives a plane when we heard another plane coming down the runway. All three of us were full of anticipation for another take-off. Then we noticed the plane was slowing down. It turns out that planes take off and land on the same runway, which I suppose makes sense. After watching several planes, Edmund got fairly good at determining which planes were landing and which were taking off. In case you need a hint, the planes that are taking off speed up and those that are landing slow down. Have you got it?
A lull developed in all plane activity, so we took Edmund to the small playground a few feet from the observation deck. To get to the playground children can run on a miniature replica of a runway. I loved the mini runway, as I love all things miniature. I tried to encourage Edmund to run down the runway for take-off, to which he replied, "Mommy do it." I normally ignore Edmund or insist he try when he demands something of me, but this was good exercise. If I ran down the runway so would Edmund. Both of us had a blast pretending to be planes
. We made several attempts at take-off, but to no avail. Perhaps we'd have better luck on the playground. The playground is very simple and consists of a spider shaped climbing structure situated in sand. Edmund simply wanted a bucket to play with in the sand, which of course we didn't have. We made a u-turn and headed back to the observation deck hoping to see one more take-off.
Unfortunately it was close to dinnertime so we didn't have too much time. Although we did get to see one more landing we didn't have the opportunity to see any more take-offs. Our family had a wonderful time at the Observation Peck. It would have been fun to see a few more take-offs, but we still got our fill of planes for the day. Next time I think we'll try the Observation Park on a sunnier day and hope for a little more activity, but all in all this adventure was a success.
For directions go to http://www.rdu.com/whileatairport/obpark.htm. There isn't an address listed, but there is a map on the website.
Yesterday after breaking up yet another two year old squabble, my co-teacher Jennifer remarked "Isn't it funny that we're not born knowing how to share? We're social creatures after all."
At first I thought "great point", but the longer I thought about it I realized this isn't the case at all. When I first replied to Jennifer's comment I said, "Maybe we just haven't evolved quickly enough. I'm sure that in cavemen times it was survival of the fittest and every child for himself."
Jennifer replied "I suppose that's true."
After some more reflection I spoke up again. "Even as recently as several hundred years ago children were probably competing for food, so I suppose our species has a long way to go before evolution catches up to the cooperative societies we live in now."
As I watched little Janie (name changed to protect the innocent) happily play with the toy she had managed to hold on to, I decided to retract all my previous statements. "You know what? We still live in a society where people get to the top by being pushy and going after what they want. It's simply adults are generally more subtle about it than Janie and Susie over there. I'd really like more recognition and to make a bigger impact than I currently am, but sometimes it seems I'm just too nice."
Jennifer chimed in, "Why is it that we nice guys always finish last?."
"That's definitely how I'm feeling at the moment, " I said.
"Then I'm going to change that statement. Nice guys finish quietly."
In case you ever wonder what preschool teachers talk about in their few spare moments, now you know. I also have a new motto. Thank Jennifer.
Daddy and Edmund at Elmo's World
The Pennsylvania wedding Steven, Edmund, and I attended last week was in Langhorne, PA home to Sesame Place. Sesame Place is an entire theme park dedicated to all those lovable, furry monsters from "The Street." One of the most hilarious home videos the Mercer family has in its collection revolves around a trip to Sesame Place with my sister, Becca, and our friends, Meredith and Amanda. Every so often I'd see an ad for Sesame Place in a parenting magazine and tell Steven "we have to take Edmund there." I know he thought I was simply making casual conversation, but when I found out we were going to be six minutes from the place where one of my fondest childhood memories took place, I was adamant we were going. When my sister and mom found out we were heading to Sesame Place it quickly became a Mercer family affair. I suppose my dad has his fill of Sesame Place 25 years ago as he decided to pass on this trip, but Aunt Becca and KayKay were ready for more Sesame adventure.
To celebrate its 30th birthday this year, Sesame Place is offering a two day pass, so we decided we might as well use the days. This turned out to be perfect for our family, since we had wedding events in the evenings and a child who would suddenly sprout horns without a nap. The first day we planned to be at the park as soon it opened. The weather was a bit gloomy that morning, but nothing we couldn't handle. The rain actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise as there were few lines for anything. When we walked into the park Sesame Street music was playing in the backgr
ound. Edmund stopped chattering for a moment and said "I Love Trash." Sure enough, Oscar's theme song was playing in the background, and we adults had been completely oblivious. We headed to the life-size replica of the Sesame Street set first. Edmund had a blast exploring Mr. Hooper's Store and walking up the steps at 123 Sesame Street. When the line to sit on the fire engine at the firehouse suddenly exploded we decided to move on.
After letting Edmund have his fill exploring the famous street, we moved onto the rides at Elmo's World. Elmo's World is guarded by the Sunny Day Carousel, which of course Edmund had to ride. Even Kay Kay and Aunt Becca couldn't coax Edmund to ride a horse on this carousel. We sat on the bench again. Edmund thought the bench was awesome, especially since he got to pet Slimey the Worm who was perched on the armrest. After the carousel ride we took Edmund to ride on Elmo's Flying Fish, a ride much like the Dumbo Ride at Disney World. Edmund was as happy as a clam (it's an underwater ride after all) while he sat with Daddy on his chosen fish. That is, until the ride attendant informed Steven that Edmund had to sit next to Steven, not on his lap. It was then that the screaming ensued, but the ride was already moving. To make matters worse Steven couldn't figure out how to get their fish to fly. Mommy was sailing away in the air, while Edmund and Daddy circled around on the ground. Edmund cried until Steven finally figured out the intricacies of elevating the fish into the air. To be fair Steven and Edmund's fish might have been defective. At least that's the story Steven's sticking to. Once Edmund was aloft he had a great time. He was excited to tell Kay Kay and Aunt Becca how he rode the fish in spite of the tear rolling down his cheek. The experience must not have scarred Edmund too much because when we returned the following day, the first thing Edmund asked to do was "ride Elmo's Fish." He said "sit next to mommy." This self-talk gave Edmund the courage he needed to conquer the flying fish. For this ride Edmund was all smiles.
During a very expensive macaroni and cheese lunch Edmund pointed out Cookie Monster walking by the restaurant, which again the oblivious adults missed. Steven was lucky to catch a tail end glimpse of the furry blue monster. After lunch we got in line early for "Elmo Rocks," a 30 minute live Muppet performance with a few aspiring actors thrown into the mix. Edmund appeared to enjoy the opening number as the Sesame Street monsters made their way to the stage, but as soon as Elmo appeared the grin on his face was as big as
I've ever seen and he began clapping. During one musical number Cookie Monster gave Edmund a high five. Edmund vowed never to wash that hand again. "Elmo Rocks" was the perfect family musical experience. It had enough interaction to keep Edmund involved, and was lively enough that the adults began rocking out. It also had the perfect mix of cheeky Muppet humor. The following day we went to see "Elmo's World Live," but the Mercer/Pattishall families are tough critics. "Elmo Rocks":2 Thumbs Up; "Elmo's World Live":1 Thumb Up, but still enjoyable.
Sesame Place is half water park, so after the dry attractions we decided to hit the pools. The water was a little cold due to the rain, but Edmund didn't seem to mind. He tried of few of the preschool-aged spray attractions, but decided his favorite location was the Twiddle Bug Tidal Pool. Kay Kay and Aunt Becca let Edmund wade while mommy and daddy decided to turn to icicles on a few of the water slides. When we returned to the pool we took Edmund to the Twiddle Tracks. If the "Elmo Rocks" show was Edmund favorite part of Sesame Place, the Twiddle Tracks were a close second. The Twiddle Tracks are small train cars that children ride around a track by pushing on a handle with their hands. Labeled an "all-by-myself" ride, the Twiddle Tracks are a tucked away treasure, which meant Edmund was able to ride to his heart's content. The handle was a little tough for Edmund, but he thought it hilarious to make me run his train car around the track and through the giant flower pot. I didn't mind as I got my requisite exercise for the day.
Before we left for the day we discovered "Rubber Duckie Pond", a little water alcove with toddler sized water slides. I wasn't sure how Edmund would do with this, since he tends not to like any water surprises. Although this particular attraction is for children under five, adults aren't allowed to walk on the boat that houses the slides, which meant Edmund would need to go down the slide sans mommy. After helping him climb aboard the boat I was afraid Edmund would sit at the top of the slide and cry out that he was stuck. Not an unreasonable assumption as he has been known to cry when he believes he is stranded on a slide. We could tell he was nervous during the first slide, but after all the applause he received he was raring to go again. He had so much fun he didn't want to leave when the lifeguard signaled our five minutes were up.
Edmund really did enjoy himself at Sesame Place. He has no fear when it comes to large, walking characters, so getting to see his favorites from Sesame Street was a dream come true. He was so enamored with Elmo and Big Bird that we had to chase him out of a few other families' photo ops. True, these children were not as thrilled to meet the characters as Edmund (meltdowns might be the word for their reactions), but we felt we needed to remind Edmund that people don't randomly join other families even if it does involve more time with a favorite red friend. Edmund mig
ht have enjoyed Sesame Place a little bit more if he were slightly older, but I'm glad we got to take him while Sesame Street still has the "cool factor" in his mind.
A tip for any of you who may be planning a trip to Sesame Place with a two year old. Unless your child is totally fearless and relishes in a chance to be drenched with ice cold water, avoid The Count's Splash Castle. It all seems innocent enough until you begin walking your child toward the climbing structure. You and your sister are oblivious to the large crowd that has gathered slightly in front of you and somehow miss the sound of "3, 2,..." Fortunately on the count of "1" your husband sees what is about to transpire and shouts "stop." A giant bucket of water tips over and water crashes onto the heads of the people millimeters from where you are standing. You are spared from a drenching by the icy waterfall, but your child is hit by some residual spray, and begins screaming. At this point you retreat and make your way back to the Twiddle Bug Tidal Pool. Ah, now that's more like it.
Please Touch Children's Museum
As we walked to the door of the museum we were greeted by a sculpture of the Philly Phanatic (an odd looking green creature who serves as the Philadelphia Phillies mascot). Edmund pleadingly asked "I see it, OK?" We let Edmund give the sculpture a quick hug and made our way inside the museum. We immediately went to the left when Edmu
nd saw a bus in the transportation exhibit of the museum. He sat in the passenger seat and sang "The Wheels on the Bus" while waiting for a turn in the driver's seat. As soon as the opportunity arose Edmund stopped mid-song, ran to the driver's seat, and began shuttling the other children around the museum. He got about as far as only a stationary bus can go. After a minute we had Edmund relinquish control to another child and explored the rest of the exhibit. Edmund had his first opportunity to pump gas into a real car. "I pumping gas," he exclaimed. Just like mommy and daddy do and no worry about spillover (this is pretend fuel we're talking about here). There was much more to see and do, but we returned to the bus several times before heading to a different exhibit.
Edmund passed over a chance at water play. Edmund relishes in water play, but I will admit the water play stations at the museum were just a bit too tall for Edmund to really enjoy. He found a small play area designed specifically for children under three and explored it for a while. This section reminded me a lot of the soft mall playground, but Edmund didn't have to wait his turn very long or compete with older children, which was a nice change of pace. When he was finished we moved to a music exhibit modeled after a rainforest. I think I found this exhibit more appealing than Edmund as it was then that he spotted the 100 year old Dentzel Carou
sel. We had passed a carousel earlier in the day, at which time Edmund stated "I ride carousel at the zoo one day." I thought it might be awhile, but now he had his opportunity. Steven begrudgingly agreed to buy tickets. He may have been correct in not wanting to pay money for the carousel for when I went to put Edmund on a horse he began to scream. I finally realized he wanted to sit on the bench seat, but another child was already sitting there. I pointed this out, but Edmund continued to protest. The mom of the infant on the bench beckoned me over. I'm sure she simply wanted my child to quiet down, but she offered us the seat. I should have known there was a catch. The seat was ours if I would keep her infant from falling off the bench while she held her daughter on one of the horses. Deal! The baby remained upright and Edmund got to ride on the bench.
At this point our visit got a little bit overwhelming. Lest I be judged as a neglectful mother, I must tell you that the museum is pricey, $15 a person, and no Edmund was not free. We decided to push through Edmund's nap time to explore the rest of the museum. There was an incredible Alice in Wonderland exhibit that Steven and I found extraordinary. It felt just as if we were falling through the rabbit's hole. Edmund was a little cranky (slight understatement) at this point, though he did enjoy playing croquet with a flamingo mallet. He also perked up when he found a small slide near the Red Queens court.
After going "through the looking glass" Steven and I decided we would quickly look at the final exhibits without having Edmund do too much playing. He seemed tired, that is until he saw what the next exhibit entailed. All children's museums seem to have the obligatory dramatic play sections with play kitchens and food. I figured, been there done that, this will be quick. I was wrong. The first stop in the dramatic play section was fairly typical with dolls and strollers. Then we came to it--a grocery store--set up exactly like our local grocer, but on a smaller scale. There was a meat department, a bread department, a produce department, you get the picture. Volunteers were constantly restocking the shelves so there were always enough items from which to choose. What impressed me most was that one of each food item was stored behind clear plexiglass so it was obvious which items went where, and also gave
the appearance of a fully stocked store. Miniature shoppers with realistic metal carts were everywhere. Edmund chose several variety of breads and for some strange reason, a large package of tea bags, to add to his cart. After adding the tea bags to his cart, Edmund declared "I check out." Ever mindful of "five-a-day" I encouraged him to shop for some produce. He protested, saying "no mommy, I check out." Edmund patiently waited in one of several check-out lines until his turn came to put his items on the conveyor belt. He carefully unloaded his items while the little girl on the other side of the counter unloaded her items. She grabbed some of Edmund's items and placed them in her cart while Edmund grabbed some of hers. Both children seemed happy with their final "purchases", paid the mommy and daddy cashiers, and went on their way. Steven and I found the whole scenario hilarious. The children were clearly well versed in grocery shopping etiquette, save for one difference--they would eye each others' carts, find some better items, and trade, all without words or incident. Can you imagine if adults pulled food out of each others' carts at the store? What I imagine involves some choice words and the police. Perhaps we could learn a thing or two from these miniature shoppers.
Edmund could have "shopped" all day, but we needed to get going. We let him explore the mini hospital, shoe store, and restaurant before allowing him one more trip on the stationary bus. What I fou
nd so incredible about the set-up of the dramatic play exhibit was that each "community landmark" had it's own room and was a perfect miniature replica of a place children see in everyday life. Children slightly older than Edmund were developing elaborate play schemes, which I see to a certain extent in preschools, but these went beyond anything I have seen to this point. I was also amazed how well children who didn't even know each other collaborated to make their play scenarios "click." We probably won't find ourselves at the Please Touch Museum again anytime soon, but I am certainly glad our family had the opportunity to experience what I'll call a "Philadelphia Phenomenon."
Location:
Please Touch Museum
Memorial Hall, Fairmount Park
4231 Avenue of the Republic
Philadelphia, PA 19131
The Liberty Bell-Before Repairs
histle during the vows at the PA wedding (sorry Evan and Kaitlin) and his request to "take a walk" during the vows at the NJ wedding (sorry Lisa and Gage), Edmund did amazingly well. As it appears he chooses the vows as his choice time to check-out, I'm hoping he doesn't leave some poor girl in the lurch during his own vows some day.
The first wedding we were to attend was very near Philadelphia, PA so we decided to check out a few local sights during our trip. First stop, the Liberty Bell. Every so often Edmund would chime in from the backseat to remind us "I go Philadelphia. I ring a bell." You may think a two year old would find little appeal in an old bell. Not so. When the children in my preschool class are bouncing off the walls, Jennifer and I take them to ring the church bell that is located on the school's property. Because it is such a rare occurrence to venture outside the fenced area, the bell holds a mysterious allure over these children in the way the Liberty Bell holds an allure over the people of the United States. I suppose there isn't much difference between a two year old and the Liberty Bell flock after all.
Surprisingly, Edmund was kind enough to let Steven and I read the information leading up to the Liberty Bell. As we moved along we prepared him for the fact that the bell was broken and wouldn't sound any more. He reminded himself as we walked "bell broken." When we got to the bell he posed for the obligatory picture and we moved on. We talked about the bell a little more as we walked outside to take in a view of Independence Hall. Edmund's interest in the bell waned as he had more pressing matters, such as lunch, to attend to
The next day Kay Kay and Aunt Becca joined us at Sesame Place (a future post to come). I asked Edmund to tell them about what he saw in Philadelphia. He said "I saw bell." Aunt Becca inquired "did the bell have a big crack?" While bobbing his head up and down Edmund very matter-of-factly stated "No, I fixed it." Edmund is a quick worker for I blinked and missed that repair job.
Aunt Alison, Grandma, and Grandpa went to see the Liberty Bell the following day. According to them the crack had reappeared. Some excited visitor must have rung the bell a little too hard, as I'm sure Edmund's repair job was one of superior quality. I wouldn't hold your breath to hear the bell ring again anytime soon, as I have it on good authority Handyman Edmund is booked solid the next 16 years.
I Love George
I had Edmund carry the book up to the cash register. There was only one cashier, and we were "fortunate" to get in line behind a grandmother buying books for her grandchildren. She must have had a hundred books in her basket, and, no, I'm not exaggerating. Edmund began to get antsy and threw his book on the floor. I told him he needed to pick the book up off the floor. Normally he is happy to oblige, but he thought this was the perfect time to make his body g
o limp (which I might add he found hilarious). I again told him to pick the book up off the floor. He continued to ignore me, laughed, then said "mommy do it." I wouldn't have been as embarrassed as I was, save for the fact that the children who were to be the recipients of the hundred books and their mother, were standing in front of me giving me the "control your child" look. This time I said "if you don't pick your book up we're taking it back to the children's section and leaving." I had my fingers crossed that Edmund would pick up the book, as I really wanted a change from multiple readings of "Curious George and the Train". As an early childhood educator I know the importance of follow through and knew that if Edmund didn't pick the book up we were leaving. I have to be honest, if there weren't a bunch of bystanders, I'm not sure I wouldn't have caved. Fortunately for me I did have an audience and Edmund was so gracious as to listen to my third request.
Later that night Aunt Alison came to visit Master Edmund so daddy and mommy could finally go all out for tax free weekend. Edmund couldn't contain his excitement to see his Aunt Alison that he nearly jumped out of his bath when she walked in. Steven and I shopped for about an hour and a half when Steven had about all he could take. Steven left and I pressed on. I headed to Belk where I found a very cute pair of "goggie" pajamas for Edmund. While I was in line to pay I saw a mother and father shopping with their two young boys who appeared to be about 3 and 5. It was 8:30 and I'm sure these kids were exhausted after their evening of tax free shopping. They ran around the racks and the little one hit his head. He recovered quickly after being told that Belk was all out of "boo boo bunnies." Then the two boys began trying various screams. Their mom looked at them and emphatically said "if you don't stop this we're going home." I thought "what a threat!" If these boys are anything like Edmund I'm sure they'd rather spend their time at home than at Belk. I knew better than anyone these parents weren't going to take their boys home. The younger one decided he would try a quiet scream and the mom seemed OK with this idea. I almost told the mom I knew what it was like, and that I'd been there earlier in the day, but I was afraid I wouldn't say the right thing. I just gave her a knowing smile and moved on. As I headed to my car a few minutes later, I passed the same family, boys still screaming, parents still shopping, and couldn't help but chuckle.
This Friday until the end of the day today has been Tax Free Weekend here in NC. I got so incredibly excited about this event that I went window shopping early to get my plan of attack ready for Friday. I really don't know what it is that had me so excited about this event. I probably saved at most ten dollars, while the state of NC lost millions in tax revenue. Our family is also traveling to PA on Monday, a tax free clothing state, so again I really don't know what got me so revved up.
On Thursday I took Edmund with me to the mall to scout out the clothing options. Anyone who knows me knows that I get more excited about Edmund's clothes than I do my own. He gets to wear cute animals on his shirt and no one thinks twice. If I did so, I'm sure I'd get a few stares. So that I wouldn't feel guilty about taking him on this excursion I first took him to the mall playground. Edmund absolutely loves the mall playground. It's a lifesaver in the hundred degree weather we're having. Everything is soft and padded, so I worry little about him getting hurt, that is unless someone lets a big kid loose when they shouldn't. Edmund has his play routines. He turns the steering wheel in the helicopter, slides down the lighthouse a few times, and does a look-out on the sailboat. Most days I don't have to give warning that it's time to leave. He generally tells me he wants to put his shoes on after about 20 minutes and we're on our way.
After Edmund announced he was done with the playground I lured him into several stores with the promise of playing with trucks at the other end of the mall. Southpoint, the local mall near our house now has a toy store called Toyland. I know some parents think the location of Toyland is awful because they have to drag their children the entire length of the mall if they want to go from playground to toy store. I, however think this is pure genius because I can sandwich "mommy stores" in between two "Edmund places." Toyland is a small independent chain based out of New York that for whatever reason decided to expand to North Carolina. Toyland definitely isn't as big as some of the other "educational" toy stores in the area, but it has several pluses. It carries a lot of the wooden and educational toy brands I like and has very few electronic or licensed character toys. My philosophy at least for now is that toys should be open ended. I'm certain Edmund will be "wired" soon enough, so I'll let him use some creativity for now. I've bent a little on my no "characters" rule recently. Edmund loves Curious George, Thomas, and Elmo, and who can blame him. They're cute! He's not relying on tv for his play schemes and that's really the only issue I've ever had with characters anyway. I'll save the discussion of branding for another day.
Another plus this store has to offer is its openness. Five play stations are set up around the store and because the store isn't cluttered I can see Edmund at any play station from wherever I might be within the store. As I don't let Edmund wander I often can't browse, but I can do so here. Let me stop here. I realize this post is making me sound like a shopaholic. This is not the case. I'm a "browseaholic" if such a word exists, as I seldom buy. But I digress. The five play stations are right up Edmund's alley. The first is a table filled with rubber mulch, diggers, and bulldozers. The next station is a roadway system complete with a garage. This is followed by a train table. Next we come to a Calico Critters station. For those of you not familiar, Calico Critters are woodland creature families that live in elaborate houses. Edmund currently loves Calico Critters and their miniature furniture, but I'm sure it won't be long before society dictates to him they are a "girl's" toy. I'm having fun joining Edmund in his Calico Critters play for the time being. Finally there is a station with a large wooden fire station and rocket ship. Edmund is especially in awe of the rocket ship. He recently developed a love affair with the spaceship outside the Museum of Life and Science, and I don't have the heart to tell him the final space shuttle launch is quickly approaching. Edmund loves what he refers to as the "truck store". The only disadvantage I find with Toyland is my own personal guilt when we walk in, play, and leave. As I mentioned, I rarely buy. We probably won't go too often in order to appease my guilty conscience. However,on days when I'm stir crazy because Steven is on-call, I may just have to put those guilty feelings to rest and hop on over to Toyland.
Peek-A-Boo
After a semi-disastrous venture to Forest Hills Park last weekend, I didn't know what to expect from Piney Wood. Forest Hills gets rave reviews from parents in the area for its "sprayground." However, I'm still trying to figure out what bothered me most about this park. Was it the disrepair of the equipment, the litter covering every inch of the playground, the fact that Edmund has been to much nicer "spraygrounds" in other places, or simply that Edmund can mix sand and water at school any day of the week? I'm glad that Durham has such a playground, but I'm not sure I'm willing to make the drive when there seem to be better, closer options out there for our family. I'm willing to give Forest Hills another chance for perhaps we caught it on a bad day. There was a family reunion going on and we all know how those can get. So Edmund and I may make our way back, but I can guarantee Steven will be a no show.
Piney Wood was a blast. It's fairly close to our house which is a huge bonus for me. I'm finding I like nearby options on weekdays after work. As I mentioned before, the playground isn't immediately visible from the parking lot. Once I located the playground this turned out to be another selling point. Our go-to playground in Chapel Hill at the Community Center is located away from the parking lot, but not far enough I feel I can let my guard down for a second. This wasn't the case here. The playground is also shaded which will keep Edmund and me cool on hot days. Fortunately today wasn't a scorcher, but it's nice to know this is a place where we can attempt to beat the NC heat. I also love the fact that none of the play equipment has major drop-offs. Edmund seems to have some issues with depth perception and I worry about him at most other playgrounds. I hover, not because I want to, but because Edmund is very likely to walk off a tall ledge without a second thought. In most instances I take the philosophy "live and learn", but when it comes to 10 feet drops I err on the side of caution.
Edmund actually didn't play very long on the play equipment. He went up and down the steps a few times, turned the large maracas 
around, and did a couple rounds of sliding, when he saw "IT". A huge dog park full of...you guessed it...dogs! Edmund climbed up onto a wooden slab and pressed his nose against the fence. He summoned the dogs at the top of his lungs with a cry of "goggies." Don't ask me why it's "goggies" as he seems to pronounce other "G" word just fine. Edmund was a crazy ball of excitement until one dog answered his call and pressed its nose up to the fence. Edmund flailed his arms and ran to daddy who at this point had joined our park excursion. His words of wisdom..."don't call the "goggies" if you don't want them to visit." Very well put. Edmund eventually went back to the fence. He retained his excitement, but ceased the "goggy" calling. It's funny how his fears come and go, though I suppose a healthy fear of dogs can't hurt. Our child who today appeared horrified to be approached by a dog, yesterday marched up to our neighbors and informed them that he was going to pat their dog, Kiki, on the butt. It seems mommy and daddy need to start watching what they say.
The dogs eventually moved to the other end of the dog park and Edmund lost interest. He played on the playground a few more minutes, then informed us "I go home, drink milk." Thus ended our playtime at Piney Wood Park. This is one park we'll be sure to visit again. Who knows? Perhaps Edmund and I will hit the trails the next time. If you see a kid pushing his own stroller you'll know it's us.
Location:
5999 Woodlake Dr.
Durham, NC 27713
To our devoted family members out there, I am going to try something a little different. I am going to try to write more frequently. I know I say this almost every post. This time I truly do hope I mean it. I'd love to share ideas about activities with my working mom friends in the area, as well as post my thoughts on what it means to be a parent and teacher during this time of my life. And boy do I have a lot of thoughts. I hope you'll continue reading as I hope to continue writing.
Sincerely,
Tabitha
If I Can't Stand On It, I'll Sit
For the past several months Edmund, Steven, and I have been attending Gymboree Play and Music of Durham. Gymboree is such a stereo-typical middle class parent thing to do, but I have to say we absolutely love it. This summer ou
r location offered a special allowing us to try a variety of classes within the month for the price of one. Generally this wouldn't have thrilled me because places like this seem to cater to stay-at-home moms, which would mean I wouldn't be able to take advantage. However, our Gymboree recently started offering Sunday afternoon classes in addition to Saturday classes, so we more than got our money's worth. Not to mention having free-gym options on scorching afternoons when Steven is on-call has been nothing short of a life saver. Normally we attend a Gym Play and Learn Class, but today we decided to try the new Family Music offering.
The music class didn't take place in the large gym room, so I thought Edmund would freak out. "You mean you brought me to Gymboree and I'm not playing in the gym." To my surprise he went with the flow, which is not how he usually rolls these days. When we entered the class, our teacher Ms. Julie, had two large drums set up. It wasn't long before Edmund was banging away and trying to stand on the drums (which we quickly tried to discourage). Edmund was definitely the most active child in this particular group, but the teacher had enough planned to keep him engaged. 
This month's theme is tropical islands, so we learned a song called Hawaiian Rainbow. On a side note, for me tropical islands takes my mind to the television show "Lost." I don't watch TV often, but got Netflix and watched the entire series in a month. Now my brain is on Lost overload, so I will do my best to remember this theme was in no way intended as a tribute to the castaways. Back to reality. I forgot the words to Hawaiian Rainbow promptly, but Edmund remembered and filled me in on the car ride home. He is quite the singer these days. After a few rounds of the tropical song and island themed dancing complete with bubble blowing, Ms. Julie brought out a "magic box" of instruments. Some of the instruments were "kiddie" in nature. Others were instruments more akin to something you'd find in the percussion section of an orchestra and a ton of fun. I think I had more fun with the instruments than Edmund. As the other kids made haphazard choices as they pulled from the box, Edmund was very deliberate in his decision to grab a handled drum and mallet. Then the banging ensued. At the end of the class one woman told her husband who had come to pick her and her son up from class "you should have seen Edmund, Larry. He is quite the drummer." I'm glad she saw it that way, as I was too busy trying to shield Edmund's classmates from flying mallets. OK it wasn't that bad, but Edmund can get a bit carried away in his drumming.
I must admit the music class is not very different from what I do with the 2 year olds in my preschool class on a day-to-day basis. "Why cough up all that money for an experience we can have for free daily?" At the music class I was actually able to enjoy sharing music with Edmund sans interruptions. There were no squabbles to break up, poopy diapers to c
hange, or noses to wipe mid-song. The parents took full responsibility for their children, so we could be in the moment. We probably won't sign up for an official music class once the special runs out, but we'll take advantage while we can. When the music class concluded we let Edmund loose for free-play in the gym, which is now offered on Sundays. Edmund loves exploring the ramps and slides, and for a child with a minor gross motor delay, Gymboree is just the ticket. Maybe later we'll take advantage of the more structured, gymnastics based "Little Gym" down the road, but until the simple Gymbo the Clown stamp loses its allure, we'll be heading to Gymboree.
Location/Contact Information:
Gymboree of Durham / Chapel Hill 3515 Witherspoon Blvd Suite 101
Durham,North Carolina 27707
(919) 419-3150
durhamnc@gymboreeclasses.com
No Edmund Photos Available:
