Yesterday was a Whirlwind

It was crazy. I'm not sure how or why we packed in so much activity, but we did.

First? It was Baby and I going to a birthday party at the house of Crazy Mom. We arrived an hour late. Happily? We weren't the only ones. I think when you have a toddler any arrival time is just a "suggestion".... two of our other Gymboree compatriots arrived at exactly the same time we did. (This made me feel considerably less guilty).

We go in and it's a madhouse. Everybody looks like they're having fun-- but there are toys strewn all around the house an iguana with a sunlamp in front of the fireplace and a kiddie mat with placemats and cups and plates set up on the *floor* of the family room like it was the last supper. I have to say, the iguana almost made it David Lynch-ian.

Food? Whole wheat bagels, cream cheese and some lunch meats tossed on the counter on top of their packaging. Drinks? Water, juice. Cups for the kiddos? Previously USED Take and Toss sippy cups.

Cake? No. Brownies. (They were good, but still... not even cupcakes? Hell, I offered to bring something-- I would have made cupcake platters!) Candles? One candle and some princess action figures (also used) spread around the brownies.

Balloons? There were some mylar ballons but they were also supplemented by Balloons marked "Chick-Fil-A".

Okay, I'm not trying to be budget-ist or anything, but come on. I think this was more a case of "we're celebrating the third birthday for our third child..." do you remember your ninth birthday? I don't. I guess Crazy Mom and "Kenny" aka Crazy Hubby must have just figured, the hell with it. I also overheard a conversation between Crazy Mom and Crazy Hubby about said brownies... I guess he wanted her to hide the remaining brownies once each of the kids got one. She instead interjected with "Leave them for the parents, I don't want to be eating them for the next week!" Thank god that if good hostessing skills couldn't prevail, at least concern for calories could.

Notes from Things 1 and 2? Thing 2 behaved herself pretty well, but Thing 1 was pushing it when he kept sticking his thumb in the mouth of a 3 month old baby. That was, for all intents and purposes, creepy.

Next? We came home, picked up the Husband and went to Panera. It was a mad-house. I guess for some reason nothing says "Martin Luther King Day" quite like pressed sandwiches.

Then? Chuck E. Cheese. OMG. What were we thinking? It was packed and a good 1/3 of the "kiddie" rides would eat your token. My notoriously competitive side did rear its ugly head however at both the air hockey table and basketball toss. I desperately wanted a go at SkiBall but it was being hogged (rightly) by a bunch of 7-8 year olds. Damn.

After thoroughly purelling ourselves we left and visited Dick's sporting goods (mainly because it is nextdoor to Chuck E. Cheese). I managed to score a "Youth" ski bib for $24.95. We'll see whether or not this is actually warm when we get to Vermont, but I thought the price was right and since I'm only two inches taller than "Snooki" it actually appeared to be the appropriate length.

Next? Build-a-Bear Workshop (yes, it is at this point when you can ask if we are crazy, on drugs, or both). Miss B. had been wanting to go to the "Teddy Bear Shop" so we took her. She is still a bit too young for this (who would have thunk, she can sit through Opera, but goes hog wild at Build-a-Bear?) We made a dog, dressed him in scrubs to go along with our running Doctor theme and then quickly made a break for it before the Build-a-Bear employees tried to convince B. that she needed to go home with $50 worth of bear accessories.

Then? Ice Cream! Yes, why not add sugar to this mix? And sprinkles.

Then? Chick-Fil-A (because isn't it customary to eat chicken *after* you've had ice cream?

And, finally. Barnes & Noble.

Wowzer.