Time marches on

Tomorrow Henry turns three. I'm nervous about making the day special and memorable for him; not because I want him to be spoiled and entitled, but because this little boy is the love of my life. 

I thought watching him grow up would slowly break my heart, watching him age one day at a time until he leaves home a young man, ready for his adventures in adulthood. But I was wrong. The indignities I occasionally suffer when I'm no longer needed by him are quickly soothed by the enormous pride I feel watching my baby boy's sense of accomplishment. 

Yes, it's uncharted territory watching him take precarious steps toward the edge of the nest, but it's worth it. It's so worth it. 

It's worth it even when it's nearly 10pm, a solid three hours past his bedtime and he stubbornly refuses to give into sleep. 

Meanwhile my brain is darting back and forth between the brilliant ideas I had for decorating the house and displaying his presents...which makes me realize giving up my pride and the idea of having a perfectly beautiful birthday photo op with Henry is trivial compared to being this precious boy's mom! 

Holland Community Aquatic Center

Oh, Holland Aquatic Center. When you are open (sadly, way too infrequently), and I ignore the cost (only $4.25 as a resident, but not free as other parks are), and you aren't having THREE birthday parties as you did this weekend (full of extra rowdy, extra aggressive 8-12 year olds who insisted on playing in the splash pool for those six and under) you, yes you, are the best park of all! 

The splash park is so well designed and it allows kids to move seamlessly between activities: a tube slide, water hoses (for spraying each other), giant buckets of water that dump out randomly, a tunnel (covered by a waterfall), a tire swing, wheels that turn to make water come spraying out, fountains, etc. 

A 4.5 slide rating. It would be a 5 if not for the complaints listed above. 

Holland Heights Park

The name Holland Heights Park may almost sound fancy or ritzy, but sadly, this park is anything but.

It has one quite small relatively modern play structure with three small slides, and then a relic of an old climbing thing (it's one of those metal bars that are like a ladder/monkey bars from circa 1980s). In addition, there aren't any swings (WHAT?!). This park is cute, but it's lacking the pizazz it so desperately needs.

Restrooms: No

Swing rating:Two out of five (I gave it two swings instead of one because Henry found a bug that he  instantly adored and become friends with, "bye bug!").

Virginia Park