Splash Park Take 2

We started our third full day here with a lazy(ish) morning that found Ethan and I resting in bed until a heavenly 8am while Ronni worked overtime to keep Maddy entertained and engaged. This isn't such a hard thing in and of itself (she's very easy to entertain), but requires a copious amount of energy and imagination since Maddy has only enough interest in any given activity (except watching Yo Gabba Gabba, Strawberry Shortcake, or the Care Bears) for about ten minutes. Kudos to Ronni for her daring and persistence!

After we actually got going, we found ourselves (literally...we got quite lost on the way!) at a new and different water park that kept us busy for a few hours. Getting lost in this part of Delray Beach was interesting. Though the park has been beautifully maintained, it resides in what is is clearly the low-income district. Even more interesting was the fact that there was nary a Caucasian to be found. It was striking to compare some of the more affluent areas we've seen with the one we were in today. I'm not used to seeing such startling segregation, and it made me feel a bit uncomfortable. In this area was also an abundance of churches with very unusual names, the most unique of all which was "Hangout of the Holy Ghost." It definitely piqued my curiosity! So did the skywriting that we saw on our way to the park, which read things like "God gives hope" and "You + God = @ Jesus Love." Not sure what the latter meant, but we are obviously among some God-lovin'/God-fearin' people down here!

After coming home for lunch and a nap, we headed back downtown to the library. Maddy was thrilled to find some books about Strawberry Shortcake and was smitten by a large pineapple statue outside of the courthouse. We were happy to have a few minutes to ourselves at the coffee shop (Saba and Savta stayed with her at the library), but Maddy is going through a major "mommy" phase that makes leaving her alone difficult. I feel bad leaving, not only because she finds it so upsetting but because it sets up the person/people watching her for a possibly nightmare experience. I am not sure if it's a phase, if it's because I am around more than usual, if it's because we're in an unusual place, if it's because she's not feeling well (her eyes are red and puffy...allergies?), or if she somehow intuits that things are about to change with the impending arrival of her baby sister. In any case, it makes for an exhausting day for me and a trying day for the other folks around her. Needless to say, the fact that she is so darn cute makes it too hard to mind!