We've been friends since the sandbox -- Summer 2002

I was pretty excited that the three older brothers were going to teh park with our kids -- Seth, Parker, and Quinn.  Of course Quinn was still so little, only one, so she could not do a lot like a seven year old Seth and five year old Parker.  My son and I were the first to arrive at the park.  I did not see anyone else there and I sat down on th ebench wtih the snacks and juice boxes.  I stretched my legs out and crossedt hem at my ankles, enjoying the sunshin.  I looked over at Seth when I realized he had not gone off to the monkey bars, though he had talked of nothing else all morning long.  "go ahead and play, bud," I told him.

I shrugged and sat next to Dad.  "I'll just wait for Parker," I said.  I did not really want to play by myself.  It waws no fun when I did not know anyone else at the playground.

Of course Seth would not go play.  He was always on the shy side when it was a lot of other kids around.  It was something I tried to help him get past.  I always felt bad due to the fact that he had been by himself for so lon gbeing the first born grandchild.  I looked up and smiled.  "Well, Parker and Uncle Percy are here," I informed my son.  I laughed when I saw the boys run to hug each other.  They ignored their uncles and they ran off towards the monkey bars.

"Parker, be careful on those," I called out after my son.  He was only five... I would rather not have to take him to St. Mungo's with a broken arm or something.  He tried to keep up with Seth but he did not understand that Seth was a couple years older than him.  I gave my brother a hug.  "They get so excited to see each other, they quickly ignore us," I said to Bill with a chuckle.

I laughed, walking Percy back over to the bench I already claimed.  I eyed my brother's bag curiously.  "What goodies did iyou bring with you?" I asked, opening up my own bag to show what I brought.  This was why us parents got together... to eat our kids' snacks.  I saw that Percy brought packages of raisins... I was definitely jealous.  I liked those things a lot, but Seth did not.  So I did not bring any with me.

I opened my bag to let Bill peer into it.  I thought that he was being rather amusing about snacks.  I handed him a box of raisins and checked my watch.  "Did Charlie say anything to you about not being able to come?" I inquired.

I was so happy that Parker was able to come.  I had wanted to go have fun on the monkey bars.  "Do you want to go first or would you want me to show you how it's done?" I asked my younger cousin.  I really wanted to go first, but I would be nice to let Parker go ahead.

I was a little nervous... I was not as big as Seth.  "You can go ahead and go," I told him.  Maybe seeing him do it would keep me from being so scared about being that high off the ground.  I was not that strong to hold myself up there that long.  I did not want Seth to make fun of me if I could not make it all the way across.

I knew I was late, but Quinn was not feeling so great, but she ended up losing her temperature and she was happy agin.  I walked up with my little girl to where I saw my brothers sitting down.  "Hey guys," I said, setting the diaper bag down on the ground.  "Will one of you take quinn so I can spread this blanket out for me and her to sit on and play?" I questioned, handing my daughter off to her godfather who moved faster than Percy to hold her.  I spread out the quilt and sat down so my one year old could movoe around.

I took Quinn and she felt clammy.  "Hey CHarlie... how has she been feeling?" I asked, putting a hand on her forehead.  I set Quinn down on the blanket next to her daddy while I dug in my bag to see if I had a rag I could pour cold water on to try to cool her off a little bit.

I saw concern on charlie's face.  "Is she sick?" I asked, sitting down on the blanket with Charlie and Quinn.  I felt her head and she was cool but clammy.

I grinned at Parker.  I climbed up the steps and started to hang from the first bar.  I made it all the way across.  Parker clapped for me and I bowed, laughing.  I walked over to him and noticed he looked a little scared.  "Instead of doing the monkey bars, do you wanna play dragons and dragon keeper?" I asked, thinking he may enjoy running around like that better.  "You can whichever one first... I don't care which you want to be."  I saw that he seemed more relaxed when I mentioned doing something other than monkey bars -- they were not for everyone.

I grinned at my cousin, glad he suggested doing something other than climbing around on the monkey bars.  "I'll be the dragon first," I said.  We started playing and running around, laughing.

"She's been feverish but it broke... I almost did not come," I answered, taking the cloth from Bill.  Quinn seemed to enjoy the cloth... more from throwing it at my face than letting me put it on her forehead.  I could nto help but chuckle slightly.  "I took a page from Mum's book and thought fresh air might help.  She's acting alright at the moment.  I am just worried.  She's been actin goff," I explained.  I could see that she lost entertainment from terrorizing me with the cloth and looked like she was goingo to start crying.  "Is it just me or does she seem to be kind of puffy around her eyes and face?" I asked.

I took a closer look at my niece.  "She looks... I don't know.  she looks off though.  It's hard to tell if she's swollen," I said, agreeing.  I just could nto place why.  I was getting more and more concerned about Quinn.  "maybe you should go to St. Mungo's..."