The Biggest Kid In the Climbing Structure

Me in the Adventureplex climbing structure.

     For the past few days Tom and I have  been touring the South Bay area of Los Angeles, seeking out the  points of interest to our  2-year-old and a 4-year old grand daughters who  we've been babysitting during our visit.

    We spent an afternoon at the Manhattan Village Mall, a great spot for running around, fountain-watching,

...and noshing on yummy grilled cheese panninis from the snack bar.

    We've also taken several trips to the girls' perennially favorite destination, Ralph's,

....where there are shopping carts of  just the right size,

...and, when shooping with Grammie,  always the very good possibility of acquiring a treat.

     Yesterday we took an excursion to the jewel of Manhattan Beach among the younger set and their moms, a play venue  called Adventureplex,   

....which consists of a massive interconnected climbing structure,

....with side play areas,

...a toddler area,  where I witnessed an amazing amount of  friendly cooperative play, which made me wonder if the area was designed by Early Childhood experts with that purpose in mind.

    There's also a nice area where parents can sit while keeping an eagle-eye  on their chicks.

     But alas, my chicks did not want their Grammie further than arm's length away from them, and were insistent that I follow them around inside the climbing structure.  
     Now I noticed that, though the climbing structure was crawling with little folks, there was not one adult in there; furthermore,  the structure  did not appear to be built to accommodate anyone taller  than about 4 feet.
      "Gram can't go into the climbing structure with you,"  I explained to my grand daughters, "I'm too big."
   "No you're not!" cried my 4-year-old, "Daddy goes in with us!"
    This I did not doubt, but then their daddy is twenty-some years younger than me and has some high-ranking color of a belt in Jui-jitsu.
     But thank goodness for my yoga classes.