Playdate at the Zeum

Today's plan was to meet Hartley and "Hartley's Mommy" for a playdate at the Zeum.  We got to Yerba Buena Gardens around 11:30 and went to the playground area to kill time while we waited.  There is a "giant slide" there which is only for 5-12 year olds and which, of course, was like a siren call to Caroline.  We got her to go down the "all ages" slide instead, but right before the end of it, she flipped around and smacked into the ground with her head.  So, that was that for the slide!  If it scared Caroline, the boys wanted NOTHING to do with it!  (Daniel did slide down on Uncle's lap once.)  Instead, they roamed around climbing up and down the stairs and trying to scale the ladders of the monkey bar-type structure.

Then we ran over to the carousel to meet Hartley and her family.  The last time we did this was nearly a year ago - or more - and Max was crazy for the carousel.  But since then his acrophobia has kicked in, albeit intermittently, and adding that to a cling-on-to-Mommy phase made for a pretty nervous little boy on a horse.  He didn't let me let go of him long enough to get a picture, but the others were happy to pose.

Daniel is all about equestrianism.

Caroline's peeking over to see if Hartley is beating her.

After the carousel ride, Max was hysterical and didn't want to leave, but Hartley wanted to go to the museum and Caroline wanted to do whatever Hartley wanted to do, so off we went!  It was really fun to see how much Caroline enjoyed playing with another little girl.

Hartley and Caroline build with Floam

At this point, Max was more about snacks than discovery.

Daniel is getting into the Floam business.

When the boys invaded the Floam table, Hartley decided it was time to go play with clay, and Caroline dutifully tagged along.

Hartley's mommy is making her a doggy.

Hartley's daddy is trying to help Caroline, who is still thinking hard about her design.

And as soon as Max came in to play with the clay, the girls moved on to the next thing!

These figures were, of course, Sportacus and Robbie fighting.

At this point, Caroline met a 7-year old also named Caroline - and also wearing a fancy pink dress.  Caroline is a magnet for "big kids".  There is something about her that they find particularly adorable and they simply must play with her and show her how to do everything.  And Caroline LOVES big kids and getting to follow them around, so this works well for both parties.  The Carolines spent the next half hour or so exploring all parts of the big playroom, including building a huge fort out of soft blocks and inviting Max and Daniel to hide in it with them.

Max is helping out with the fort.

Saying hi to Daniel and Max IN the fort.

And then it was back to the Floam.

Banana!

Corn?

They kept playing for a long time, discovering a big video wall to dance in front of and costumes and puppets to play with and the always-popular green screen slide (kids can record themselves sliding down and see weird backgrounds projected on the screen).  

Caroline and Hartley shared snacks adorably and when the boys wanted to go outside to play, we all went to the plaza and chased pigeons for twenty minutes or so.  There was much wailing when it was time to say good-bye, but eventually friends were hugged and we waved so long and we somehow made it the two blocks back to the car without anyone dropping to the ground and kicking their feet in a tantrum.

Though Mommy was close when it was time to get everyone to take a nap once we got home!