Tuesday, September 05, 2006

A Very Labored Day!

After reading Feathersky's post the other day about "Thomas and the very bad Day" I felt for her, I really did. But then I had a repeat of hers yesterday and I felt for her that much more!

Yesterday being that it was Labor Day felt like a good day to try to accomplish some work on our bathroom. Being as it is that we have two young children that have a tendancy to like to help in their own little ways it really ends up being my hubby that does the work and I keep the kids busy with doing something else. We have learned from experience that it's best when I take the kids somewhere outside of the house than it is to stay home and have them banging on the door because they want daddy who is locked behind it.

Monday's are kids get in free days at the zoo. It's awesome. We've gone during the summer when school was out and it wasn't too crowded, and we've gone once school was back in session and that was just wonderful, there were hardly any people at the zoo at all. I figured that a holiday would be like a day during the summer or at the very worst a Saturday, and thought it would be the best way to spend our time so daddy could get a lot done.

I loaded up the kids into the car and we went to lunch at McDonalds first. My first mistake, picking a McDonald's without a playplace. The kids were disappointed at first, but once they started eating and remembering that we were going to the zoo they quickly cheered and everything was well. We finished our lunch with very happy faces and full tummies and loaded back into the car.

When I was still two blocks away from the zoo I knew immediately that the place was going to be a ZOO! As I got closer my suspicions were confirmed. There were people every where, cars parked on the street and that the baseball park across the street, there were cars weaving in and out of aisles looking for a place to park. I said quietly to the kids in the backseat that it looked like it would be too busy for us to go to the zoo. W about melted onto the floormats right there on the spot. To ease the mounting meltdown I told him that we would drive through the parking lot and if we could find a place to park we would go to the zoo. We wandered up and down every aisle looking for a spot to pull into. It just wasn't in the cards for that day. We drove away from the zoo sad, and forlorned trying to figure out what to do at that point.

I figured we might go by the aquarium/botanic garden, it couldn't possibly be as busy as the zoo was. As we drove down Central Ave (old Route 66) I comforted W by telling him we'd see if maybe we could go to the aquarium instead. He perked up and got himself excited about seeing the sharks and turtles. I pulled the car into the parking lot and it was the same picture we had seen at the zoo. I tried to comfort a disappointed (again) son as we meandered through the parking lot. Once again we pulled back out on to the street depressed.

W wasn't happy at all by this point. He had been let down two times now (three if you count the McDonalds). He didn't want to go home, and I COULDN'T go home till I got the "all clear" call from my hubby. I was trying to be quick on my feet. What could we do now that could take up at least an hour? I then suggested that we go to the park. The kids were okay with that idea, so west on Central Ave I headed again. I was just about to turn to head to the park close to our house when I received sudden inspiration! I looked farther west on Central when it occurred to me: Go to the Humane Society! The kids love to go there to look at the dogs and cats. Sometimes we've even had them take one out to the petting area so the kids could play. It was perfect! I could see no flaws with this plan. W and little sister were talking animatedly about seeing the cats and dogs. I pulled into the parking lot of the Humane Society, very few cars, a good sign! We pulled into a spot right in front of the building. I opened the doors and got the kids out of their seats. Walked up to the front door and pulled. The door didn't move. I tried again. Still the door held firm. I stepped back to look at the business hours, they couldn't possibly be closed on holidays could they? No, they're closed EVERY Monday!

By this point, my little ones could not take it anymore. They BOTH started crying and screaming right there on the sidewalk in front of the doors of the Humane Society. I felt like sittingdown and crying with them. But I couldn't, I had to keep on a brave face. I somehow managed to get them back into their carseats and buckled in. I began to think furiously about what I could possibly do to entertain them on a holiday where it wouldn't be so crazy, busy that I might start to cry! I knew they were very disappointed, and as I was deep in thought accelerating onto the highway W told me I had forgotten to buckle him in! Luckily the very next exit goes towards our house and the park nearby.

As I pulled into the parking lot at the park there were only 3 other cars. I scanned the playground for other kids. So far so good. I get the kids out of the car and we began to walk down the hill. That's when I saw them. A middle aged couple rapped in each others arms sitting on a picnic bench sucking face! I was so upset. I did not want my children seeing this very disgusting display. The couple happened to come up for air and notice my and my children. Even so we went to the other side of the playground where they would be out of our view. W and Sy spent a marvelous time on the swings and shortly after that the couple walked back to their car and drove away. Then the kids raced each other down the grass hill and back up again. While running I recieved the call giving me the "all clear". W exclaimed that he wanted to go home when he made it back up the hill.

We loaded back into the car again but this time went home where little sister took a nap and big brother showed daddy some seeds we had collected while at the park. While driving around I had told W that we could maybe go to the store and pick out a new toy. Lately he has been saving coins in a jar for a new toy instead of asking me at the store for EVERY-SINGLE-THING-HE-SEES! Or we've gone to "maybe that's something we can put on your birthday list". Both ways have really seemed to help him from nagging for everything and then freaking out because he didn't get it.

While sister was napping at home he reminded me of the going to the store to get a new toy thing. So we spent a good 30 minutes counting out all his change. He was a really good helper counting out the money. We then went to the store where he picked out a set of 8 cars. They were pretty cool, and with the left over money he got a new My Little Pony for Sy. It was really sweet of him.

All in all it was a very long and tiring day. But on the positive side we were able to finish up the drywall, get up some more wainscotting and even spackle a little in the bathroom!
Posted by ABQ Mom :: 9/05/2006 09:01:00 AM :: 5 Comments:

Post a Comment

---------------------------------------