Adventurous Day

Today was another one of those flexible make up days. I'm not complaining because it means an extra day to sleep in and loll around. I went on an adventure today with my mom, Maria, Lucas, and Jacob. I say adventure because I've never been anywhere with those two kiddos together. Ever. Until today. I'm game for most anything, but I hoped that I wouldn't regret agreeing to this outing. Lucas was in a BAD mood while we were getting ready to leave and Jacob was CRYING. Thankfully, Jacob fell asleep and Lucas got all happy from his mini dessert of whipped cream from Maria's coffee (and a few sips of the coffee, too, but we're not crazy enough to give him the caffeinated stuff). The trek to the mall is a good 20 minute drive. Along the way, Lucas spotted a few cows (they're really fiberglass carabaos, and no one but me corrects him so cows they are). He even spotted one at the Mobil station that Maria and I would have easily missed if we hadn't looked very carefully.

Parked in the north parking garage. Wouldn't you know it--we remembered Jacob's stroller but forgot one for Lucas. Got Jacob's out and Lucas asks, "Where's my stroller?" Yikes! Guess who ended up carrying him around? First stop at the mall...KB Toys. That would spell major disaster, right? Well, Maria told Lucas that we were just there to LOOK, that mommy was looking for a gift for a birthday party they're invited to. Think a two-year-old doesn't understand that reasoning? Think again! This 2-year-old does! He wouldn't touch ANYTHING because nothing in the store was his. I even got a little scolding from him for putting my finger on a package to point something out to him! Will wonders never cease!

Lucas has this thing for balloons...what kid doesn't? He wanted one after seeing the store full of balloons across KB. Maria didn't see it so she told him they would look for the balloon store. Every store we went into, he got a little reminder about behaving so he could get the balloon. Then, what did we find at the second floor entrance to Macy's? No balloons, but another carabao. Had to whip out the camera for that one!

We didn't find the balloon store Maria knew about. So, needing another book fix, Lucas and I went to the bookstore. Two books for me and one "Backyardigans" book for him. He looked at it all the way back to my mom, Maria, and Jacob. Maria finally saw the balloon store on our way out, but by then Lucas had forgotten about it in his excitement over the book. Smart me, as I was carrying him out of the mall, I had him facing away from the balloon store.

Jacob stayed asleep the whole time we were at the mall. What a blessing! Lucas fell asleep on our way to lunch at Tony Roma's, but he woke up when we got inside the restaurant and wanted to get out of Jacob's stroller because, well, it was Jacob's. Maria managed to finish her lunch before Jacob woke up. Pulling up to their house, Lucas was asking me if we were going to my house. When I told him we were going to his house, he said, "You stay for a little bit?" Uh...I was tired. I was promptly forgotten when Julian came out of the house to greet his troop. Thank goodness for small favors!