Florida Rainstorm

I was at the playground with Hallie and Aiden today. Suddenly, I noticed everyone running from the playground. Thirty seconds later, rain was pouring down. I guess people who have lived in Florida longer than I have are better at recognizing an approaching storm.

Most of the parents of young children ran for their cars, but I opted for running to the picnic shelter, since I would have been drenched by the time I struggled with folding up the stroller.

There were a couple of other children there with the adults who had brought them to the playground, but mostly the shelter was occupied by teens who are on spring break this week. They were going to just wait out the storm and then continue hanging out with their friends. When there was a clap of thunder and a flash of lightening, I thought Hallie and Aiden would be afraid. However, Hallie was excited to be in the picnic shelter with so many people, especially the teens.  "Where do squirrels go when it rains?" Hallie asked. Aiden was in the stroller which I had faced in towards the center of the shelter so he wouldn't get wet, but now he was trying to climb out.  I took him out of the stroller and set him on my lap so he could see the rain.  He pointed to the rain and talked excitedly in his baby gibberish.

After about 10 or 15 minutes, the rain started letting up and the sun started coming back out.  Hallie wanted to go back to the playground, but I said we had to go home since Mommy would be home from work soon.

When we got to the car I saw that I had parked in the low end of the parking lot. The water around my car was ankle deep.  So, I took off my sandals, waded in the water, and carried Aiden first, and then Hallie, to the car. I was hoping Aiden would follow directions like his sister, and get in his car seat by himself.  I had had to put him in from the opposite side of the car. However, he seized the opportunity to get in his favorite part of the car- the driver's seat.  He sat smiling with his hands on the steering wheel, until I picked him up and put him in his car seat. Then he pouted and complained with his whining cry. I finally got the stroller folded up and in the car and drove Hallie & Aiden home to their mother.