As we go to see my family for Christmas I just had to stop and take stock of things. Unfortunately I just took you the one picture, and this wasn't even all of it. Later on the table mostly filled up. Here is what we had packed for Olive
Looking back, I know this was just part, we still had a bag full of refrigerated stuff, her clothes, and a bag of toys. Oh yeah, don't forget the pack and play(yes she is somehow still in this), and a large air purifier(story for another day). All told, it took me 3 trips, maybe 4 to carry it all in at my parents house. So how long we're we staying you ask?
1 day.
Sigh. My brother shows up with 4 kids and I expect packs less than we do for 1.
Oh well, I guess as long as you make it work, then.... well.... it works.
So the first thing you'll need to understand about us, is that we sometimes just need out. Especially for Shannon, if you're in the house too long, you just get a little crazy. Olive doesn't help either, she gets bored fast. She doesn't listen to a lot of things we ask, but if you say "go bye bye" at our house, she's running for the door. Even she wants out.
So yesterday is another normal day. We've finished dinner and just want to get out. On a side note, I made breakfast burritos, who knew I could even do it. Of course Shannon planned it all, but it was still edible, amazing.
So after dinner we clean up and make a run for it. We were filling a little nuts as usual, we're crazy, I know, we all know it. So we hop in the car, start driving, and the conversation begins.
"Where are we going?"
"I don't know"
"How about ..." <- Enter your favorite get out place. I'll just list a couple.
Barnes and Noble - Go there to often.
Boingo Bounce - Not up for that much excitement
Chuck E Cheese - Please no, spare me.
Target - We like us some target, but we're there all the time
Kohls - Seriously, we're getting desperate
Tuesday Morning - Me-"Does she even like that place", Shannon-"No", Me-Shakes head
Mall - Headed there tomorrow to try for Santa again
and on we go.
If you haven't noticed, we count shopping as Olive having fun. We call Petsmart the zoo, Barnes and Noble the library, etc.
So where might you ask do we end up... Lowe's.
Yes, I'm serious. We're taking our daughter to Lowe's to play. And that's how we end up with one of the most successful Lowe's trip ever.
We get there, and Olive loves all the Christmas decorations. So we point out Santas and snowmen, and head out to the big Christmas area(which is looking rather picked over).
I found Olive a new playhouse....
Then apparently we found her the best thing ever... Diego gloves.
Her hands aren't even close to fitting but she was so excited.
Hence us running around.
Someone found Santa
Dress up time
She can't even clap they're so big - sigh.
Holding daddy's hand.
I even had a picture of us sitting in a mock living room with all of us on couches, but some unnamed member of the family deleted it because they didn't look "acceptable".
I've been looking for the right word to describe my parenting skills, ran across inpet, and was amazed at the correlation. Here are the definitions from http://dictionary.reference.com:
Awkward...have you seen me try to discipline, that's a good one.
3. inappropriate;unsuitable;outofplace.
All I have to do is take Olive to day care...yeah...I don't cut it.
4. absurdorfoolish
Ha! You should see our definition of play at our house. Or just look at the number of toys we have crammed under our coffee table.
So, I hope these entries can provide a little bit of comfort to others with children that look at everyone else and wonder why it seems so hard for them.
