Revisiting the Scene

No, not of a crime, but of last year's head-gash-needing-staple episode at our local park. We had a playgroup there this morning, it being spring break and beautiful and all. Sis and Bud were extremely excited about our park-cum-picnic outing and headed to the playset immediately. But they were both very apprehensive about being on the staggered steps where Bud's accident occurred. He went across, though, timidly at first with my holding onto him. Sis cautiously followed. I was so proud of them. Soon, after about 5 crossings, they weren't thinking about it at all. And they were climbing all the other bits of the playset that they'd been to little to traverse before. More kids showed up--both our little friends and older, bigger (read: more dangerous) kids--and my kids grew more and more confident and comfortable. And crazy. Bud was tearing around the playset with reckless abandon . . . and with Sis tearing after him. And now all the apprehension and timidity and caution were on my part, as I worried about the number and size and rambunctiousness of the other kids, plus the confidence, perhaps even bravado, of my own. The more time passed, the more they were having fun, the more worried I became. I stood nearby, enough, but know from experience that you can practically be holding them and accidents can still happen. But I tend more towards helicopter parenting (the whole demise of the independent culture of childhood be damned!) and there were some kids that were a). obnoxious (intentionally blocking stairs even when asked to move) b). aggressive (like the kid who kept biting other kids!) and c). unaware of their own movements, so I hovered some. Yes, it's true, I'm not very comfortable at public parks with strange kids around and only go if accompanied by friends. Especially at this park. But, geez, there wouldn't be two emergency-room trips for us from the same playground, right? My friends just smiled (none too comfortingly, I might add, Mommy Goose! :) ). But it was all okay. In fact it was great. But let's see if we can wait another year until we go back . . . . instead of this afternoon, as they are requesting!

(The picnic part was fun, too, and at least temporarily got the kids off the playset! We enjoyed Mommy Goose's blueberry muffins, Miss N's carrot-raisin cookies, and my rainbow fruit salad, made with strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, kiwi, and blueberries arranged in an arch!)

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Carrot Oatmeal Cookies (from Sprouts' Cookbook)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups shredded carrots (about 2.5 M-L carrots)
2 large eggs
2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
optional: raisins, dried cranberries, pecans or other nuts

Preheat oven to 375 F, spray two baking sheets
Grate carrots
Beat oil and sugar with a fork
Beat to eggs and add to oil
Add carrots and vanilla.
If using, add dried fruit and nuts
Combine flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and stir
Create well in dry ingredients and slowly add oil mixture and stir.
Using large dinner spoon drop batter on sheets 2" apart.
Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

Yields 2 1/2 dozen cookies.