Rivard Plaza our perfect place to play

If you keep up with the blog, you know I love, love, LOVE the Riverfront (Rivard Plaza to be exact.) This love has reached a whole new level since last Wednesday. Let me explain.

Last week I was in pain. Want to crawl in bed, put up my bread loaf feet, ice my lower back, read a People magazine and check my social media kind of pain. As a stay at home mom, this type of lazy luxury is not an option. Jack needs to be both cared for and entertained.

As Ryan was leaving the house Wednesday morning, he asked what our plans were. Innocent question but already beat, I wanted to cry. I couldn’t do the zoo, science museum, or even the giant playground at Belle Isle. I needed something small. Somewhere I could sit my butt down and watch Jack run off some steam.  I packed up my diaper bag and told Jack we were headed to the River (or as he calls it “the special playground.)

The morning was perfection. The playground is clean and small. There was an “After School” summer program of 9 and 10 year olds playing when we got there. They must have been sent from above because all the girls wanted to take turns playing with and caring for Jack while all the boys entertained him with games of chase and backflips off the monkey bars.

Me? I sat on a bench in the shade and watched my son light up with all the attention he was receiving.

When the group left, we decided to go for a walk. Do you know what we found? Rows of chaise lounge chairs waiting for us to kick up our feet and relax by the water (aka Heaven.)

Jack must be an intuitive little fella because that boy lounged right alongside me for a good 30 minutes. I was delightfully shocked that he was so still, so calm, so…at peace.

It was like Rivard Plaza had set everything up just for me. Like they knew I was coming and needed a day of ease. Feeling so much better I did something I don’t usually do. I called Ryan to see if he wanted to meet for lunch. That man is so busy, I usually don’t bother asking unless I know I have been on his calendar for at least a week. Wouldn’t you know it. He was free.

I picked him up from his office and we made our way to Green Dot Stables. We enjoyed sliders and fries and were done in time to get Jack (and Mommy) home for a nap and Daddy off to his next meeting.

A big thank you to the Riverfront for making a family friendly, accessible and lovely place in the heart of Detroit. Now I see why this is Jack’s “special playground.”

With love from Detroit,

Callie