Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Sick Days and Shopping

In the past 5 years we have been very, very blessed with healthy children. Landon has been sick once, in March of 2011, in the days before JP and I were scheduled to go on the one and only vacation we've ever taken away from the kids. The vacation that precipitated the complete schism between our little family and JP's. The last nights we ever spent child-free. I remember it all so well. Landon threw up everything he ingested for five days, giving him nightmares about throwing up for months afterward. He would appear in our room around 3 a.m., sobbing because he'd thrown up, and tuck him back in his perfectly clean bed and try to explain that the bug that made him sick was gone now and all his food is staying in his tummy. He recovered, both from the actual virus and his PTSD and I've never again had a call from school to tell me to pick him up. I'd started to think of him as invincible to illness and never worried about him getting sick when Claire came down with something or a friend would apologetically tell us that her kid was sick and she hoped Landon hadn't caught it.

Until today at 2:00 when I got a call from school telling me my child had thrown up. "Claire again?" I asked. "She was fine all weekend." "No, it's Landon." What?!

The good news is, puking nearly-6-year-olds are pretty on top of the whole situation. Moments ago he just sat up on the couch, leaned over his little trash-bag lined plastic bin, threw up several times, wiped his mouth with my proffered damp paper towel, swished his mouth out with water, and lay back down, asking if I could please rewind the Wild Kratts scene he missed. Claire, who I picked up at the same time to avoid another trip later, was far, FAR more alarmed over the situation. She popped off the couch, crouched near poor Landon and asked him 170,000 questions about what precisely just happened.

We've watched three episodes of Wild Kratts and are now on to A Bug's Life, to be followed by How to Train Your Dragon. All TV limits are off when a kid is sick, though if they are going to insist on getting sick every day for days on end, I might have to revise that policy. (No, no I won't.)

The weekend was good though! Claire was healthy, we didn't know Landon would be sick yet, and there was lots of baking and meeting up with friends. We didn't see much of JP- the pool he is pool directing (he had to agree to be pool director of a local pool in order to run his swim school out of it this summer; the pool he's been using for the school year is closed for camp use all summer) opened on Saturday, so he's gone from sun-up to sun-down monitoring chemicals, adding chemicals, getting burned by chemicals, managing a gaggle of teenage lifeguards, and otherwise directing all operations at a large pool complex. We're all hopeful things will settle down and he won't have to be at the pool 18 hours a day 7 days a week until September, but who knows. We did get to go with him to check out the chemicals on Monday morning:

 

The water was FREEZING and the outside temps weren't much warmer. I was covered in goose-bumps in my dry clothes, but JP and the kiddos had a good time. Claire in particular loved the "Hello Kitty pool" (I guess she overheard JP call it the kiddie pool and made her own variation; sort of like how she calls the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens the "Kinder Gardens"- there really aren't any words she says adorably wrong anymore, so we're left with wrong titles of things we don't correct).

We also went in our pool for the first time yesterday afternoon when some friends came over (and by "we" I mean the kids, it looked very cold). I successfully removed the pool cover for the first time since it was installed and the kids had a blast shivering and splashing for two hours with our friends.

 

I also spent a lot of time internet window shopping for various things for the house. I can't buy any of them because you know, money, and also a 4-figure tree trimming bill for all those giant, beautiful trees I loved so much when we bought the house. But someday, when (if) we have a surplus again, probably moments before kid #3 enters daycare and sucks it all up, I have a dining room table and chairs, sideboard, hutch, three area rugs, end tables, desk chair, filing cabinet, front yard bench, and kitchen hutch all picked out!

The one thing I was really hoping to buy this summer is a playground type thing for the backyard. Now that we have the pool covered, I can just send the kids out there to play for hours, something we all love, and I was really hoping to get some sort of play structure as a combined birthday gift for them this summer. Unfortunately, those suckers are freaking expensive. Craigslist hasn't been much help. I've noticed its utility varies among cities and it is definitely not big in Fort Worth, and even if I was willing to drive 60 miles to some of the Dallas suburbs, the stuff I've found is not really worth the round-trip hassle (particularly given that we'd have to borrow or rent a truck for transport, and I won't really have a husband until September). So, as long as this post is bouncing from vomit to pools to playgrounds, I'm soliciting input.

I had originally picked out this playscape from Costco. I still love it. I still think that if we were going to spend a significant amount of money, this would be the best item to get and that it would last and entertain the kids forever. But at $1400, there's just no way right now. Which brings me to my quandary- I still need and want to get something for their birthdays, but I'm torn between finding a cheaper playscape (which are still $500-600) v. going another route altogether, like spending $160 on this playhouse, knowing it might quickly be too small for Landon, but they'd enjoy it in the meantime and maybe we could buy a real piece of backyard equipment next year v. spending $300ish on a piece of Little Tikes-like play equipment (like this) that is something in between.

I'm kind of leaning playhouse, because if we aren't going to invest in something I think they'll use for a really long time, then I'd like to just wait on the plaything and spend less on something different (but still fun). Keeping in mind that Landon wouldn't be able to stand up inside, but he likes everything and is genuinely excited to play in the tiny playhouse that belongs to our 14-month-old neighbor, do you think the playhouse is a good idea? I certainly don't want to waste money, and I do want something they'll both enjoy, outside, for a long while.

While I wait for you to tell me what to do with the 18 play-equipment-related browser pages I have open, I'll be passing paper towels to the Lanman and wondering what I should make for dinner. After watching him throw up for the last few hours, I can't say there's a whole lot that sounds good.

22 comments:

  1. We too bought a house loving the mature trees it had; now I'm dreading calling the tree people in but I know it has to be done. Fingers crossed.

    (Sorry no input on the play equipment.)

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  2. We have a little playhouse thing and Eli and his friends love climbing and sitting on top of it. If you're okay with that I'd say the house is a good in-between. I miss our swingset/playground thing a lot. Maybe Craigslist will still work out.

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  3. Playhouse followed by the costco cadillac of playsets, skipping the Little Tikes play equipment. If I were Landon, I'd have more fun now in a playhouse than I would on the Little Tikes play equipment.

    Now for the love of god, woman, share your dining table/chairs/sideboard/hutch picks. You're not the only one with an empty house!

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  5. We have that Little Tikes set, and it's much too big to bring inside easily--I don't think it would even fit through our sliding glass door. Also, I have 5 1/2-year-old twins and they have pretty much outgrown it. The slide, rock wall, and rope are really too small to be a challenge at all. The playhouse would be better than the LT piece, I think, but if I were you, I'd keep looking unless you get the playhouse for Claire and something different for Landon.

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  6. Does Costco build the play set for you? If you are single parenting, make sure you get a play set with assembly included. Those things are not easy to put together.
    My parents bought a play set for my 3 kids when they were 3, 1 and still in the womb for the price related reasons you mention. We could not afford it, but my parents really wanted to get something for all 3 kids that they would get a lot of use out of. The people arrived, set it up, the grandparents footed the bill and the boys are 13. 11 and 9 now and the thing still gets use. It was several thousands of dollars, but divided up between children and over years, the cost is probably down to pennies a day. Totally worth it and we still give the grandparents all the credit so the boys know how lucky they are.
    Which is a long way of suggesting perhaps done family help in getting your play set?

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  7. How about another alternative like a tire swing or sandbox? My dad made us a sandbox when we were little and we played in there for years with with olastic dinosaur toys!

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  8. If they like pretend play, what about a real tent? You could add a campfire and a couple of lanterns or cool flashlights or something and they can "camp out." Here's a camp set with good reviews too.

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  9. What about Lowe's? I think you can choose what components and have them install it. Presumably you can add on to make larger over time.

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  10. My in-laws have a playhouse for their 4 kids (ages 7-2) and the bigger ones still love playing in it. They have the kind that is actually a small real structure, not a plastic one, and I think those tend to be a little larger, so more/bigger kids can use it longer. I'm not sure about the cost difference, but they've gotten so much use out of it.

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  11. What about something like this? A little more fun for Landon, but still on the cheaper end! http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3987665

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  12. so dont look at the price.... we did a plan purchase and bought the lumber and did it ourselves in a weekend. It does help that our neighbor is a carpenter, and was easily paid with beer and pizza... and the promise his kids could come over at any time. Anyway, this is that "in between" idea. I think a small slide/climber might be great along side of it, but I know our swing set sits empty, and we have tea parties ALL the time in the house. http://www.cubbykraft.com/cubbyhouses/club-house.htm Just another idea for ya. Daina

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  13. So in looking for where we got our plans from.. I found this. Best of both worlds (wish I had seen this when we were planning ours!) The first pic is amazing. http://www.refinishfurniture.com/cat_outdoor_playcenter_plans_kits.htm

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  14. Some play structures can be added to over time. A la carte spreads out the cost.

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  15. I wouldn't bother with a Little Tykes set for either child. We had one from when my boys were 1 and it was too small by the time they were 2 and a half. We do have the Little Tykes Log Cabin that my now six year olds still love.

    One thought on the play structure, but it doesn't help you now. What about waiting until later in the summer and going with an end of season sale? It's warm enough in Texas that your kids will be able to play on it year round.

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  16. Trampoline? A neighbor got an awesome one, as safe as trampolines get, for $300. My parents gave my 6 year old a big tent that takes one minute to pop up (and 5 minutes to take down) for her birthday. She would love it if I left it up all the time.

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  17. I second the trampoline. My kids got one when they were 6 4 and 1 and they played on that thing all the way through high school. I replaced the mat part about 4 times over the years. They loved it!! Great for cloud watching, cool weather naps, sprinkler/bubbles fun and general playtime. I actually miss it too!

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  18. Love your blog- not sure if I have ever commented before. TRAMPOLINE!! Our very expensive play set was quickly outgrown, but my kids used the trampoline for YEARS. You can definitely get a good one with a net for for $300.

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  19. If you can talk the grandparents into chipping in, maybe you can work getting a swing set? My kids LOVE ours and it makes it so easy for them to play outside without having to go to the park. If you can't afford a good swingset don't buy one. We bought a $350 cheapo one at Toys R Us and it broke the second year. You need to spend $1000+ on those. If not, I agree on the trampoline idea. The Little Tikes play thing will be too small for Landon.

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  20. I second the trampoline. We had one with a net around it (like below -- see link); however, we did not allow children to jump on it without one of us supervising. The kids made tents on it, hung hoses, invented games, slept on it -- and no one was ever injured. It was very popular for years.

    I also think those water wiggle toys or a slip n slide can be fun (not sure what your lawn situation is for the slip n slide); if this is for summer, it might be too hot just to play on a swing set. My kids also liked those inflatable wading pools for a change of pace, too.
    have fun!
    Lee
    http://www.amazon.com/Skywalker-12-Feet-Round-Trampoline-Enclosure/dp/B00591XMM8/ref=sr_1_6?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1369862724&sr=1-6&keywords=trampoline

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  21. My brother and I loved our wooden swingset. He swung on that set through middle school, and in high school I was still bringing books up to the loft to read.

    I haven't checked reviews, but Swing n' Slide looks like they have some great deals, with some wooden swingsets costing as little as $500.

    http://www.swing-n-slide.com/Categories/11-Wood-Complete-Play-Sets.aspx

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  22. We have the big set and we used it for years-- it's good up to at least 12. We added to it and changed things up occasionally. We bought the little "tree house" one when our first little one was...one. He used it until he was six and his little brother was one. They made it into a water slide! But he was really too big. BTW, don't leave Stage 2 out of consideration: it was started by the originator of Little Tykes who was bought out or forced out and apparently had to stay out of the business for x years and couldn't use Little Tykes colors when he went back in business!

    My suggestion is for something completely different: how about an actual tent, even one with more than one room? Less than a couple of hundred, available used, and even useful for...camping, eventually. I can just see them having a blast playing house, adventurers, camping, etcetera. Inside, we had a teepee, currently on loan to friends, which can easily hold 4 3 yos and is useable inside (the poles are about 4 feet high and the circumference (sp?)is about 5 feet.) It's made of PVC pipe and colorful nylon fabric and cost about $45 20 years ago. When not in use, it lives in the laundry room behind the door!

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