i think she likes you, part 2

I'm so glad I decided to go to Forsyth Park today!
The city runs a sprinkler fountain, down by the bandshell,
in the summer.
Christina had asked if I'd like to join her and the littlest girl and I'd responded with an enthusiastic "Yes!", of course.
I had even worn the shirt the running bear gave me, to give his group a little exposure.
But as for the fountain, I'd had no intention of going into the water, except maybe my feet.
(smile)

Naturally, I ended up soaking wet!
But it was for a good cause, truly!
Just look at this picture and tell me what's wrong with it.
No, really, look at it, I'll wait.
*
*
*
Yep, that's right!
The littlest girl is dry as a bone and she's the one wearing the swimsuit!
But the water was spraying up too high and there were big kids and she'd not been here before...
so I went running into the showers to entice her!
Once! Twice!

Before my third foray into the ever-changing water patterns, she finally relented to go in - but only if I was holding her.
Okey-dokey, can do!
She wanted to be put down after that first time, but then she was up in my arms for another run into the water...
and then another...
with me deliberately running straight into
the jets, making sure she got as soaking
wet as I was!
(smile!)
After a bit of that, she was fine with
running in and out on her own,
though just going between me and her
mom at first.

Soon enough, she was confident
that the bigger kids would stay out of her way.
Especially as her crazy Great-Aunt Tina was still right there in the fountains of spray, too, still running in and around, yelling like she was a little girl herself!
No wonder she had said "Oh, yeah!"
when she had seen who her mom was picking up!
(smile!)
She had known that I would be
game for acting like a kid and playing with her.
(smile!)

That's why she likes me, I know.
I can still act like a kid.
(smile!)
Too soon, our fun in the sun
and the water was done.
At 6:02 PM, the sprays of coolness abruptly ended.
No "last call" or anything.
One moment we had streams of water shooting out of the ground and rainbows bouncing, the next moment it was gone.

It had looked like maybe the fun might be done, too.
Shoes had to go back on and we needed to walk back toward the car, near the Sentient Bean.
But, look!
Mom and tucked the littlest girl's towel through her swimsuit straps!
Suddenly, she was transformed into Superhero Miyah!
She knew it, too, leading the way and chanting, "dahdah dahdah!"
as she paced past us.

We stopped to change into drier clothes, realizing as we did that we were hungry.
Where to eat?
Olive Garden, for the "Buy one,
Take one" promotion!
I even treated them to the dinner!
Then I granted them my "Take one" to accompany Christina's for a meal to share later with Michael and his girls, Leila and Alyssa.
(smile)
Happy 57th birthday, Ronnie.
I'm so glad to be able to share this time with your children and grandchildren.
I love you, wherever you are.