This was the first time BB has played so extensively on one of these structures. Usually, she'll sit and eat, content to watch the other kids, maybe venture to the entry towards the end of our visit; this time she was hot on G's heels. But the difficult thing about this particular BK's playland was the access system to the top. Most have a ladder tube, or staircase, so that even little little kids can climb up; but BK's used a switchback platform so that toddlers have to be either tall enough or have super clever climbing abilities – and getting down can be a pain for everyone involved. I remember we'd just moved to Anc, I was still pregnant with BB, and I took G to a playland, maybe at McDonald's. One of the two playland entrances was a switchback platform, the only other time I've seen it used, and since G wasn't tall enough to climb it, I had to boost her all the way to the top. Imagine a pregnant woman squeezing herself up there, and then squeezing herself back down. And on coming down, G was just short enough that her feet wouldn't touch the platform below and she'd be afraid of dropping. Her tummy would also be rubbed red from hanging over the edge, trying to find her footing. But in case you're ever wondering, those playland tunnels are rated for an enormous amount of weight: kids are completely safe up there. On one occasion when G got lost up in a playland, was wailing for me, I had to cram myself and in utero BB up into those tunnels – with at least a handful of other kids swarming around. I'd hate to say it's roomy up there, but they're not as narrow as you'd think. Not so long ago, BB got lost up in a playland, and rather than drag poor newborn Z through those tunnels, I proudly sent G to go find her.
Anyway there's a saying that subsequent children start further along the learning curve than their older siblings, and that's been proven with my girls. On the first couple of goes on Saturday, I boosted BB to the top of the structure, an easier yet still strenuous task even when not pregnant, but somewhere along the way, she realized she could hook her toes into the side netting and give herself a little push up onto the next level. On G's behalf I'll say that the switchback in Anc had smooth plastic walls, but I was amazed nevertheless that BB figured that out on her own. (Later, a much older girl, BB's little mother for the moment, took it upon herself to follow BB throughout and boost her whenever she needed it.) Since it was getting late and she was already tired, BB reverted to yelling for me to come help her – and G had that distant look on her face, so it was time to round up and go home.
