Yesterday was President’s Day. Our daycare was closed and the loved ones I usually beg to watch Haeden already had plans for the holiday weekend. And since we didn’t plan ahead, Hubby couldn’t take off and I was left (on a Friday afternoon, no less) playing let’s make a deal with my coworkers so that I didn’t have to leave Haeden in the care of a stranger( re: back-up care provided by insurance. thanks, but no thanks.).
I have to admit that I was a little miffed about having to take the day off. I seem to burn through my PTO at a rate that is much faster than my earning it. And waiting until the day before to ask for it doesn’t exactly foster great relationships with my coworkers. Luckily though, they’ve all been in my shoes and are seemingly very understanding when these things come up.
The day actually ended up being just what I needed. I don’t know how I could have (momentarily) forgotten that H is allllways worth taking a day off. Paid or not. I mean, who wouldn’t want to spend the day with this little guy?
Yep, I knew you would. And so did his great-grandmother, or Oma, as we like to call her. So we did just that. Shopping in the morning followed by an early lunch. At the mall, she insisted on letting him out of the stroller (this is where I normally cringe because is it ever possible to get them back into it without a fight?!) and into one of these:
So, normally Haeden is a total daredevil. He loves to be thrown into the air, spun around at dizzying speeds and jump off of sofas/beds/ottomans, you name it. I foresee future trips to the ER in this one’s future. Maybe even a broken bone or two. I guess there really is an except to every rule though because that little car fah-reaked him out! I took that picture about .02 seconds before that thing shimmied to the side and he burst into tears. It would have broken my heart if I wasn’t so busy laughing. I immediately picked him up and strapped him into the stroller, drying his tears with promises of goldfish and juice while Oma ran over to the little car and began pushing buttons trying to get her money back. I think she was more upset than he was.
Later in the afternoon I took my little man to the park. He "rode" his bike there and I'm sure they heard us coming because boy howdy is that thing squeaky! It was actually embarrassing. But it was either that or the umbrella stroller (tangent: Is there a height limit to these things because I don't think anyone over 5'3 could push them around comfortably. I swear I look and feel like the hunchback of Notre Dame when I have to cart that thing around!). Anyway, the swings still make him giggle and he would spend an entire day going up and down the slides if he could.
Notice how he never really looks at the camera? I even asked him to look at Mama and Smile! Say cheese?! Whatever! He just looked at me, put his hand in my face and said, "Uh uhh"! Yeah, he's too busy watching all the other kids. And when they try to move past his slow behind to get to the slide, he yells at them all, "MY TURN!"
And yesterday he tried out the "rock wall" for the first time. The stairs just won't do it for him anymore! Don't be fooled by the pictures, I was right behind him the entire time.
My life needs more days like this.
