Monday
is always clean the house day. Mentally, I cannot deal with knowing that I didn't clean all the bathrooms, sweep every floor, and mop on Mondays. The kids hate it because I am rather unpleasant on Mondays as I try to get the entire house deep-cleaned and all the laundry done but I just have to. If I had a baby on a Monday, I'd probably not clean the house, but I'd seriously consider it and have to really justify to myself why I should not clean the same day I had a baby.
But the kids were glorious on Monday. I cleaned for five straight hours and they played together without fighting, bickering or complaining for five straight hours. Rex and Alice made up a game where they put the little bunnies they got for Easter inside potato head bodies and flew around the house to different planets. Henry drove cars around. Sometimes, I think they just need a day to play. And they got it. I even let them watch extra TV because they had played so well together all morning and early afternoon.
zoo day. Of course. Zoo day is a traditional Robins spring break activity. And I love zoos. Especially the Asheboro Zoo. Every one else complains about how big the enclosures are and how far you have to walk between animals, but I think that's what I like about it--the walking. I really like walking and still miss being able to walk to every where I need to be like I did in Provo. Alas...
This, however, was not an ideal zoo trip. It was Disneyland crowded. I have never seen a zoo this crowded. We stood in line for a good 20 minutes before I ventured to the front to discover a shorter line for season pass holders, which I am, of course. Also it was only an extra $15 to get a zoo pass that also gets me into Discovery Place in Charlotte, so it was a no-brainer. When we finally got into the zoo and met up with Greg's sister and her kids, we couldn't see any animals because it was so crowded. The crowd outside each enclosure was 4 or 5 people deep. Luckily the kids were able to weasel their way to the front to see animals, but Maurine, the strollers and I were stuck in the back not seeing a thing. That's not to mention Henry who threw a tantrum every ten minutes about every little thing (not being allowed to drink his juice box until lunch, not being allowed to throw rocks at people, Alice trying to sit on her seat on the stroller, people looking at him) and Rex who refused to stay on the side walk, climbed on everything, ran off, and rough-housed with the cousins the entire time. I was a little glad when he finally fell on a sharp bush and cut up his arm and face because Maurine and I had been telling the kids that someone was going to get hurt and I just love being right.
We did play at the playground for a good hour or more, which was nice because Rex could finally get his energy out and Henry could get in some water (his favorite thing) and I could relax about them running off because the whole thing is fenced in.
We checked out a few more animals before taking nearly an hour to get out of the park (it's a really big zoo). We stopped for dinner on the way home where Alice was the only one to get a soda because she actually behaved at the zoo and finally got home at 8, after leaving at 9 that morning. Needless to say, we all slept well that night.
 |
| Traditional flamingo shot. |
 |
Finally getting to play in the water and sand. We packed bathing suits because I knew he'd want to get in the little wading stream.
|
 |
Rex and Alice spent a lot of time looking at the map. Who needs to see animals at the zoo?
|
 |
This is Rex's face the next day, but doesn't do it justice. He has 4 good scratches along his entire cheek.
|
We decided to take it easy again and Rex really wanted to go to the library. When I suggested it last week, he got really excited about going to the library and picking out his own books because he never gets to go anymore. So that's what we did. Rex and Alice even went to story time, but Henry, in true Henry fashion, threw a giant tantrum when I tried to take him in, so he and I did puzzles while the big kids went to story time. Then the kids picked out way too many books, as usual, Henry threw a few more tantrums over wanting to carry the basket, wanting to get a drink from the drinking fountain, and the librarian making eye contact with him. I was glad to get out of there. Not ready to go home yet, we hit up the park near the library to play for an hour and to sufficiently wear Henry out, went home, ate lunch and put Henry down for a nap. Rex and Alice then spent the rest of the afternoon playing with the neighbors and being otherwise very pleasant.
Thursday...
Greg took the big kids camping, but I feel like a 3-day camping trip deserves its own post so you'll just have to wait for that. I know: I'm so cruel.
No comments:
Post a Comment