Playdates are Wild!

This isn't about a meeting in the garden with the monkeys, but it could very well be.  Play dates, wherever you are in the world are a nice break for the mommies or daddies who would otherwise have to entertain the kiddies all day by herself or himself.  Friday and Monday are part of mid-term break for all schools in Barbados, which meant that in the midst of Virginie's gastrointestinal distress, I was to have Lily home to entertain for twelve hours by myself. 


Amanda with Sam and George, a young English family whose husband and father has been contracted for four years in Barbados with a big oil company, and Gabrielle with Kai, a Trinidadian mother with her Trini-Bajan-American son and another little one on the way, to the rescue.  Sam and Lily are classmates at Blossoms and will go on to St. Gabriel's together and George, Kai, and Virginie are Toddler Group buddies. 

Our play date began with some swinging outside, big wheel and trike riding and when meltdowns began, we went to the pool.  If we leave with nothing else from Barbados, I want the girls to learn to swim.  They have the chance to do so every day.  Sam and George are wonderful swimmers and Lily was happy to have them to frolic with in the water.  Virginie too sat in her floaty and relaxed while we waited for Gabrielle and Kai to get in the water after a later arrival.

Sam and George like to get into a lot of things.  There was swinging and swimming and ball-playing and trike riding and puzzle making and snacking and TV watching and bed unmaking and bookshelf clearing and couch diving and running and running and running.  Lily and Sam retired to her room for some video watching and what that room looked like when they exited I cannot begin to describe.  One torn pool raft, a little pee and poo on the floor and the party was in full swing!  Lily was so happy to be with Sam and he with her that by the time he was to leave he was high pitched screaming to convince his mother and me that he should stay a little longer.  Another day, we promised and pried his little hands from the gate door and got him in the car.

I love that Lily has made friends from all parts of the world just as we did in New York.  So much so that it doesn't phase her when she meets someone from Europe or the Caribbean or the States or Asia, speaking another language or English.  Her friends come in all shades, with different accents, and her only question for them is, "When are you coming to my home?"  I love that about her.

(c)copyright 2010. Citymominthejungle