Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Playtime at Puffs and Werribee

Final week here in Gippsland, Victoria, sees this small family trying our best to let little Dylan enjoy himself to the fullest, and exploit the play spaces of which there is no shortage here.

Each place we bring him, I think to myself, yup, his last time running around... his last time on this swing... his last time at this playground... etc. Which makes every moment this week a little melancholic, at the same time poignant.

What drives me, I suppose, is a desire to bring this wonderful and amazing chapter of our lives to a close. It's funny how I constantly crave closure. Only before becoming a mother, closure almost always came after the fact ... mending broken relationships, saying sorry only after having moved on, etc.

But since becoming a mom, every moment and opportunity lost is something that can never be redeemed or recovered again. D is only 2.5 once, and I'm possibly only going to be a stay-home mom this one last time before plunging back into working life again.

So after his haircut last Friday, we brought little tyke to Puff's Magical Playcentre at Traralgon for one last play.

Playing ball, as always, is going to be a hit with little guy, never mind that the ball happens to have Hannah Montana printed all over it!
at puffs

Don't let the ball into the goal now!
Budding Goalie

Final dip in the pool of balls! Love the colors, but just don't understand why I can't take un-blurry photos. Tips, anyone, on how this mommy can improve her photography skills?
Pool of balls

Over the weekend, we drove to Uncle K's place at Point Cook on the western side of Melbourne, and got treated to beautiful weather on Sunday morning at the Werribee South beach. Nice playground here too!

Aye Ay' Captain D!
boat

A frequent sight in these parts - daddies pushing little ones on the swing:
On the Swing@ Werribee South

Both big Koh and little Koh looking pensive here:
Slide@Werribee South

One does not need to be at loch ness to sight a green dragon:
dragon!

Practicing the old art of tree-climbing... I like how the playground forms the backdrop of this picture:
Climbing a Tree@Werribee South

Success!
the tree climber

The monkey sits atop his favorite branch:
monkey in a tree

And relishes being taller than both mommy and daddy:
family!

But as with many of our play outings, this one ends in tears too, just before we set off for a hearty breakfast at the homestead. Here, you see a teary-eyed D in front of Uncle K's Toyota Prado.
boo hoo!

But that soon changes to a smile at the Homestead, where D sits astride his favorite old tractor for one last time!
With Daddy on the tractor

2 comments:

  1. totally understand what you r going through now.... I remember it all very clearly too. I did it just like you, so bring them to our favourite hang-outs ie parks, playgrounds etc...a sense of melancholy. However, I sensed that what I felt was not how my girls felt, even though I kept telling them that it'll be their last time at each place...didn't really seem to bother them. I now wonder if they really remember their NZ experience except for the photographs that will remain as our memory-keepers... All the best with the move home!

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  2. Who's this "Uncle K" chap? Sounds like a real dodgy character!

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