Summer Fun # 3 ~ First Trip to the Splash Park

We have actually managed to check off quite a few of our summer bucket list to do's the last couple of weeks.  I have actually managed to get out with the kids every day this past week at over 40 weeks pregnant so I think that is definitely an accomplishment.  The weather has definitely been feeling very summer-like although we have still had some rainy days too.  I have been pretty disappointed that none of the parks in our area of Charlotte have splash pads.  The closest one seems to be in the uptown area and is just not convenient for us.  There are several in the northern part of the city which is over a 30 minute drive from us.  We discovered a fairly new park in the neighboring town of Matthews (it is actually in Stallings, NC which is in Union County, but the address is Matthews) that is only about 15 minutes from us so we were excited to check it out.  Unfortunately, when we arrived after lunch, we discovered that the splash pad wouldn't come back on until 3:00 p.m. so we had over an hour to wait.  I let the kids get good and hot and dirty playing on the playground equipment while we waited. They had several nice separate playground areas for big and little kids.  They even had a merry-go-round which I have seen very rarely at parks these days probably because of safety reasons.  Evan tried it out, and I was glad that he didn't seem to be bothered by the motion because I have terrible motion sickness problems.  We played in the heat as long as we could stand it, and then we sat in the shade and cooled off until the splash pad opened.  All of the kids at the park were ready for it!

Evan loved this neat little spinning sphere. 

And Brody, of course, headed straight for the swings. 

And this is what an overdue pregnant lady looks like in 90 something degree heat. 

Big brother sweetly giving Brody a push on the swings. 

Sweet boys at the park together.

Brody walking across the big bridge by himself.  Mr. Independent!

And he decided to go down the big slide too, but he didn't realize how hot it was until he sat down and then was a little hesitant. 

Big boy climbing up the steps on the large play set by himself.  Where did my baby go? 

Big brother wanted to try to help little brother go down the slide again. 

And little brother did seem happier at the end. 

Brody the airplane pilot

My sweet pilots

FINALLY TIME FOR SOME SPLASHING FUN!

Although we plan to repeat this trip several more times this summer, I won't always take this many pictures.  It was just our first time, and we wanted to capture the kids' excitement.  When we took Brody to one last summer, he wasn't walking yet and crawled around in the water.  Now, he headed straight for the biggest concentration of water and pretty much hung out there most of the time. Evan ran constantly until he grew too tired and cold to continue, but even then, he didn't want to leave when we asked him.

Running into the water.  

Brody's face says it all...loving it!

I guess Evan was doing some ninja or karate move on the water spout. 

Evan was harder to capture in pictures because of his constant movement.

Brody checking out the big balls shooting water.

Evan ran around the outside edge while Brody hung out mostly in the middle where most of the water was concentrated.

Daddy changed to the zoom lens to capture close up pictures.

Just so quintessentially Brody...playing in water holding a car (two of his most favorite things).

Oh that happy face!

Haha!  He sprayed himself in the face!

I love how he runs through the water with his eyes tightly closed.

There's a happy face. 

Brody did not let go of his car the whole time except maybe twice and then another kid would pick it up and give it back to him.

Actually got one of them together.  

They were soaked!

Such a happy little boy in the water.

When he would tire of just running in the water, he would drive his car around.

Discovering the water ball.

And Evan starts to get cold. 

But not Brody!

We did get Evan to stop and pose for a picture.

But neither would cooperate for a picture with Mommy.

Still not tired of the water.  This lasted for about an hour before we had to leave, and he probably could have kept on going. Of course, he passed out in the car.

Mommy cuddling her cold baby. 

Yep, he's still my baby!