Early at the Skate Park

So Tayshaun was adamant about trying his skateboard at the skate park. When we got there, I realized that T had brought only his wrist gear and helmet. I asked him why he hadn't brought his elbow and knee pads and he says "real skaters don't need elbow and knee pads, Mom!"

Now he's been to skate parks before on his scooter and the boys (men) have been patient with him getting in the way. Even so, accidents are sooooo prone to happen there. Collisions are easy to encounter with bikes, scooters, skateboards, blades, etc .....zooming, twisting, turning, grinding, etc.

So we got up bright and early to avoid collisions....ok, it was early if you can call 10am early. Guess skater boys sleep in because we were the first ones there. I warned T that if there were big boys skating, we'd have to come back another day. One boy showed up within 5 minutes but the park was big enough so they weren't in each others' way.

Tayshaun IMMEDIATELY tried a STEEP hill. I really wasn't sure how well he was doing on this bigger skateboard yet but he said he was ready for it. Well he crashed and burned on his first attempt.

Thank goodness the other kid was there; he kept the tears in check. He didn't even come to me for a look at the skinned hip and knees. Obviously knee and elbows pads will be considered a must next time and until his skater skills are up to par....ummm 18 yrs old.

He kept trying different hills, though. He watched the other boys, alot. The skate park got about six boys deep and they were getting older so we left after about an hour into it.

So the plan is to go (in the mornings) every weekday we get off this summer. As we were leaving the park, I yelled to him, "ok baby cakes, it's time to go!" Oh!!!!! That was the wrong thing to say in front of BOYS! And he didn't even know any of these guys. But he was not happy with me. He gave me a scolding when we left the park and told me, "don't call me baby cakes, Mom!". Yea, I guess that wasn't very good calling him a baby name in front of the big boys. So in the car later, I asked him if I could still call him Babe. He said "Yea, but not baby cakes, Mom. Or You could just call me Will Smith."

This last pic was overexposed so I tried some green tint to bring in some contrast. Kind of interesting but I wished i could figure out these settings more quickly. I refuse to use the auto settings - I'll get this down even if I get over/under exposures, blurs, noise, fuzz, blah blah blah.

Before we went to bed, Tayshaun was looking at his skinned knees

Tayshaun: "I hope I don't keep getting scratches on my legs or the girls won't love me."

Me: "How come they won't love you?"

Tayshaun: "Cause a the scratches on my legs."

Me: "Oh, I think they'll still love you, babe."

Tayshaun: "Why will they?...because I'm brave and stuff?"

Me: "Yup. Cause you're brave and so handsome."

Tayshaun: "Oh, ok."