A Park in Our Backyard!

For the past month, Amelia's been telling us she wants Santa to bring her a 'park' in her backyard.  She means a swingset and we were planning on getting one anyway.  We used that as leverage for good behavior for a few weeks (you'd better stop doing that or Santa won't bring you a park...) and it worked!  However, when the boxes were delivered to our backyard (3 very heavy boxes filled with all parts needed to assemble), Amelia kept asking what they were.  We told her they were Daddy's tools and to please keep away.  The next day, though, she discovered the color photo of the swingset on the side of each box and told me "Santa no bring park, Daddy build it!".  From then on, any time we tried to use the "Santa won't bring a park" discipline tactic, she'd look at us and remind us that it was right there in her backyard already.  Ha!

It took Ed about 12 total hours to build the swingset over the course of 3 days.  I must also note that "Ed the Engineer" likes to question manufacturer instructions and adds his own enhancements.  He's reading this over my shoulder and wants me to mention that he added some engineering modifications for increased load-bearing after he saw me hanging on the trapeze bar! 

I was worried that the Santa gig was up but then Amelia told me "Santa tell Daddy thank you for building my park".

Our girl loves her new 'park' and in true Amelia fashion cried the first time she got on the swing because Mommy didn't push her high enough.