Out & about

Many weeks ago, there was an ad in the paper announcing that Bob the Builder was coming to town for a free show at our local mall last Friday. Liam still isn't much of a TV watcher, but lately he has latched onto some of the kids' characters, and Bob is one of them. So how could I not circle the date on the calendar and try to take him to the show? It started at 11 a.m. and the mall is about a 20-minute walk from our door. Not only did I think I would be there in plenty of time... I actually thought I could squeeze in a visit to the OEYC beforehand. Ha! I ditched the OEYC idea early on. Then, between rounds of diapering, changing, feeding, and changing again both kiddos, I realized that my plan to get out the door at 10 a.m. sharp and head right for the mall was not going to happen, either. As it was, we squeaked out the door right at 10:40. Mallory was screaming her head off, and I thought of turning back; but luckily my suspicion that it was just a typical 2-minutes-of-wailing-before-passing-out kind of cry was correct. We got to the mall just as the show started. It was beyond packed; it was a zoo. So much for my cushy seat up front... we wound up at the very back of the food court. Strollers weren't allowed. So I had Mallory in one arm, and dragged Liam through the masses by his hand. I snatched a table when some poor unsuspecting soul got up. Liam spent the duration of the show standing on the table; I held Mallory; and kept stealing furtive glances through the curtain to make sure nobody was high-tailing it with our stroller. It was hot as an oven, but there was really no way to ditch my coat without having about eight extra arms...

Cindy had mentioned the show to me in passing, too, and was there with her charges. They were sitting right in front of the stage. Best seats in the house. We went to say hello afterwards - I couldn't help noticing that, unlike myself, Cindy had her hair and makeup done - and as we spoke she calmly procured snacks and drinks for the kids, and went on to show me the free photos they had taken with Bob prior to the show, since they had arrived so early. The photos were still going on, but I saw the size of the line and thought better than to join it... I was on borrowed time as it was.

Well, it wasn't that bad, for my first outing with both kids. We went out again this morning, running several errands and then getting out for a walk with Mallory in the Snugli. Today was much better... I just need some practise is all.