Status: In progress.
Adventures of the Playpen
Chapter Six
Alex's first time to the park with Jack is quite the event, one would say. The boy is so sunshine-y, it sort of makes up for Alex's slightly more mellow nature. Alex is more observant, quietly watching the world around him in wonder. Their mom's have made the joking comment that they're like two different sides to one person.
The moms make the park out to be a huge manner of fun for the boys. Admittedly, it would be if they were old enough to walk on their own. But give that they aren't, much of the colorful equipment is off limits for them. Joyce does take them both on the slides twice each but it was over too quick for Alex to much care for it.
Though he does quiet enjoy the swings, he thinks that's what his mother called them. They looked quite scary but once he was seated in the thing that held him in, it was quite fun. He still really wants to chew on the ropes over by the small bridge.
He squeals and claps, giggling as he swings back and forth, his mother pushing him gently. Though she does pull it to a stop once to tell him to stop chewing on the rubber holding him in. Apparently the whole world isn't as clean as his own house. He can believe it, the rubber didn't taste very good, but it did feel soothing against his gums.
The real problem was, about a half an hour after the group arrived at the park, a big furry thing runs over. Both moms pet the thing, so Alex isn't too worried. Then it gets far too close to him.
And then it licks his toes!
His toes!
He can't even believe it! He jerks his feet away at once, curling back against the swing as he tries to pull his legs through the holes, starting to cry immediately with a loud wail.
He holds his arms up for his mama as big tears splash down his cheeks but she only laughs -the traitor - softly and talks to the other big person who attaches a long rope to the thing.
The thing pushes it's nose against him again before the other big person tugs it back. He tries even harder to pull his legs back up into to swing and is luckily saved when Joyce lifts him out, starting to bounce him on her hip. He clutches her shirt in his tiny hands, curling up his legs as much as he can to make sure he's away from the thing.
"Isobel, I'm going to get an ice cream to share with the boys," she tells her, his mom nodding with a smile. She must know the other big person, but he still feels betrayed. Sure, he may not (or may) have been in danger, but she could have at least pushed the thing away or thrown it in the garbage.
"You don't like dogs, do you, Alex?" Joyce asks him with her normal soft voice. He can see Jack down in his stoller and he briefly wonders when she'd done that before he's back to making sure the thing- dog? isn't near him.
He watches the lady working concessions coo over both he and Jack as she hands Joyce something that looks very delicious, what he assumes is this ice cream. Once she pays, she takes them over to a small table and parks the stroller, sitting on a bench and sitting him on her lap. She takes a bite of the ice cream before offering Jack a small bite, who takes it with a pulled face but seems to enjoy it anyway.
Okay; he can trust Jack's judgement, so when Joyce offers him some, he takes it readily.
Mistake.
Or maybe not. It's cold enough that it makes a shiver run over his body, but it tastes delicious! Only a little thicker than his baby food and it taste so much better.
"Mm," he hums, opening his mouth for another spoonful but Joyce takes one instead, grinning at him, "Wait your turn, little guy."
He's not quite sure what that means, so he reaches out with his chubby fingers and intercepts the spoon before it makes it into her mouth, grabbing a handful of the cold stuff and stuffing it into his mouth with a grin before she can take it away.
Dogs? No.
Ice cream? Yes.
The moms make the park out to be a huge manner of fun for the boys. Admittedly, it would be if they were old enough to walk on their own. But give that they aren't, much of the colorful equipment is off limits for them. Joyce does take them both on the slides twice each but it was over too quick for Alex to much care for it.
Though he does quiet enjoy the swings, he thinks that's what his mother called them. They looked quite scary but once he was seated in the thing that held him in, it was quite fun. He still really wants to chew on the ropes over by the small bridge.
He squeals and claps, giggling as he swings back and forth, his mother pushing him gently. Though she does pull it to a stop once to tell him to stop chewing on the rubber holding him in. Apparently the whole world isn't as clean as his own house. He can believe it, the rubber didn't taste very good, but it did feel soothing against his gums.
The real problem was, about a half an hour after the group arrived at the park, a big furry thing runs over. Both moms pet the thing, so Alex isn't too worried. Then it gets far too close to him.
And then it licks his toes!
His toes!
He can't even believe it! He jerks his feet away at once, curling back against the swing as he tries to pull his legs through the holes, starting to cry immediately with a loud wail.
He holds his arms up for his mama as big tears splash down his cheeks but she only laughs -the traitor - softly and talks to the other big person who attaches a long rope to the thing.
The thing pushes it's nose against him again before the other big person tugs it back. He tries even harder to pull his legs back up into to swing and is luckily saved when Joyce lifts him out, starting to bounce him on her hip. He clutches her shirt in his tiny hands, curling up his legs as much as he can to make sure he's away from the thing.
"Isobel, I'm going to get an ice cream to share with the boys," she tells her, his mom nodding with a smile. She must know the other big person, but he still feels betrayed. Sure, he may not (or may) have been in danger, but she could have at least pushed the thing away or thrown it in the garbage.
"You don't like dogs, do you, Alex?" Joyce asks him with her normal soft voice. He can see Jack down in his stoller and he briefly wonders when she'd done that before he's back to making sure the thing- dog? isn't near him.
He watches the lady working concessions coo over both he and Jack as she hands Joyce something that looks very delicious, what he assumes is this ice cream. Once she pays, she takes them over to a small table and parks the stroller, sitting on a bench and sitting him on her lap. She takes a bite of the ice cream before offering Jack a small bite, who takes it with a pulled face but seems to enjoy it anyway.
Okay; he can trust Jack's judgement, so when Joyce offers him some, he takes it readily.
Mistake.
Or maybe not. It's cold enough that it makes a shiver run over his body, but it tastes delicious! Only a little thicker than his baby food and it taste so much better.
"Mm," he hums, opening his mouth for another spoonful but Joyce takes one instead, grinning at him, "Wait your turn, little guy."
He's not quite sure what that means, so he reaches out with his chubby fingers and intercepts the spoon before it makes it into her mouth, grabbing a handful of the cold stuff and stuffing it into his mouth with a grin before she can take it away.
Dogs? No.
Ice cream? Yes.