this may be one of the only photos i have of micah, sweet child who has no desire to pose in front of anything if he could be climbing in it or on it or under it or around it or through it.

that’s the thing about this place that stuck with me.  if there is a crevice large enough for your body, it is assumed that you might go in it.  at one point i was under a miniature train set and was sure that we weren’t supposed to be there.  we were just under a basic structure…not a smooth tunnel or anything. but we kept crawling on hands and knees…at one point belly…and suddenly there was a wire cage look out letting us know that yes, someone intended for people to be here.  amazing!

for the next day or so, in any public place, we would subconsciously look at shelving or doorways as places to explore.

we walked through a dimly lit area where a circus had performed earlier and a mini train gave rides earlier and through a smaller than usual doorway, we discovered this weird place…with a drink and ice cream bar.  oh, our delight.  plus, this place had the world’s largest underwear, so that was awesome.

funky stuff.

there were indoor treehouses to climb on and slide through.  many places that jerry and i couldn’t go because we were too big.  and times we had to turn back because the opening got too small.

there was a school bus on the roof top of the museum.  the school bus was half OFF the roof.  sweet mother.

(you can see the bus beyond the airplane there)

also on the roof is a ferris wheel that boasts to be faster than average.  i went for the sake of my family.  i confirmed that i do not like to be scared for my life and i do have tendencies towards irrational anxiety.  but micah was a great partner and while i felt like crying when it was over, i did not.  go mom.

there was a giant ball pit with a wild game of basketball with every age and color of skin present.

there was so much to climb on.  my arms and legs were sore the next day.  the climbing usually led to slides.  we even went on a ten story slide.  the helper at the top of the slide said the museum used to be a shoe factory and one of the chutes was made into the slide.  i gathered courage to go on it.  that there was a 10 p.m. decision.  and a good one.

there are no photos of the many smooth metal slides that send a mama with knit skirt and leggings flying.  no photos of the roller-type slides like parks used to have when i was little.  these slides that span three stories.  these slides that have bars along the sides and top that make a wonderful tinging sound when a hand with wedding ring is held against them.

naomi braved the vertical climb  up the inside roof of a dome (the space between the bars and the wall was about a foot) while eliza and micah swung below her and jerry called calm encouragement…

we went in the morning, took an afternoon break back at the hotel, then came back for the evening.  they were open until midnight.  we made it til after 11.

it was an amazingly beautiful st. louis evening.

no photo seems to do the place justice.

but this place was perfect for our family.  perfect.

city museum, you done us right.  thank you, oma and opa, for the gift of taking us there.  thank you, city museum.