This past week I got up the nerve to have an all morning adventure with both children totally on my own. I've done a few short adventures here and there by myself with both children and a couple of longer ones when I knew other moms would be around to help me keep track of Edmund. Getting out takes longer with two, but isn't in itself all that difficult. What I have found difficult is timing Evie's feedings when out. Evie requires a few supplemental bottles a day due to low weight gain. However, I'm determined to have nursing work as much as possible this time, so in the mornings we stay away from supplementing. This is great because it means no extra bottle preparation when we head out in the mornings. On a side note, whoever says bottle feeding is taking the easy way out is mistaken. It is so not convenient and expensive at that. The only downside to nursing I have found and one I'll take over bottle feeding, is that when Evie needs to eat it is hard to keep an eye on Edmund, the bouncing ball of energy. He's gotten very good about making sure he can see me when I sit down to feed her, but sometimes he will get out of sight and poor Evie has her meal cut short while I determine his location. Somehow on this adventure we were able to get out all morning and I didn't lose track of Edmund for a second.
This adventure was a modified Super Monday which I wrote about several months ago. We were already in Chapel Hill for Evie's weight check (this past check she gained weight, thank goodness), so we headed to the Community Center Playground. Edmund had a great time playing and seeing what playground obstacles he had mastered since the last time we visited the park.
Next we headed to University Mall for Chapel Hill Public Library's story time. When we went to get a ticket we were told we didn't need one because it was being held by the stage in the mall's common area. Edmund thought this was so cool. It was also great for me because they had chairs I could sit in while he listened to the stories and songs.
Finally, we ended our excursion with a trip to The Red Hen, which is located in the mall along with the library. The Red Hen is a local consignment store for children that I love to visit for outfitting my children (when I'm not scouring Gymboree for deals) and as a place to sell my used children's gear and clothing when I just don't have the time or energy to tag items for one of the children's consignment sales in the area.. The Red Hen is also home to the following story from which I got this blog post's title.
The staff at The Red Hen really take an interest in their customers. Most know my name, or at least recognize me and Edmund. Evie's still a little new for her recognition, but that will come. The store has a children's play area where Edmund loves to play while I look around. I'm 100% comfortable with him playing there when no other children are around, but check back very frequently when I know other children are there too. He's a good kid, but even good kids can still forget what sharing is all about. The staff is great though, and will often give me a thumbs up when I peek around to see how he's doing.
Edmund started out being the only one in the play area, but eventually many other children descended on the area as well. Thus the checks began. Edmund had already claimed one of the ride-on cars and was driving it in circles. Another child took control of another ride-on and began following Edmund on his path. Then a little girl decided to set up the toy gas pump and set up her own gas station. Except she had titled it her petrol station. Every time the boys would drive by her station she would say in the sweetest British accent, "petrol for sale." Edmund would stop and and say "gas please." She'd say "here's your petrol." Edmund would say, "I need my gas." This conversation continued in this way every time he made it to the pump. Both children looked confused, but she still filled up the tank and Edmund still got his "gas."
If the above exchange wasn't funny enough the Red Hen play area visit ended with this. The little girl said "after I get your petrol I need you to pop your boot." The look on Edmund's face was priceless. She was speaking English, but for all he knew she was speaking a foreign language. Edmund never did pop his boot for it was time to go. Our outing was successful with no tears for either child and ended in a rather amusing discussion, in our car, about why the little girl talked like Mary Poppins.
