January Highlights

January Highlights

Building forts to keep us sain while it's too cold to go outside.

Zizzy getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth....

 Adaliah living in her underwear even though it's freezing. She says she's Tarzan.
She's a good helper though- she can wash base boards and vacuum... next are toliets and cooking dinner. (j/k)

Adaliah going to the dentist for the first time. She did so well!

Celebrating Mary's birthday with Birthday waffles 

My favorite January Memory:

My dear friend Kayla was coming in town from Washington DC and we planned to meet at the Gateway Mall for dinner around 6 pm. I decided to take Adaliah to the Children's museum at gateway early until it was time to meet up for dinner.  I left my house around 4:00 pm. The skies were a little grey, but no snow. When I got to 123rd south it was a BLIZZARD. The traffic was bumper to bumper. I should have turned around right then- but I was determined to see Kayla and I already talked up our fun day to Adaliah. I didn't want to disappoint her. 

By 5:00 I was only at 53rd south. I called Pete, and he told me to turn around. I couldn't do it. I had already  been in the car for an hour, I wasn't turning around for another hour drive home. Plus- my blinkers went out, and I had no idea how I would get all the way to the exit lane without a blinker when the traffic was at a stand still.

I keep trying to comfort impatient Adaliah with the fact that we are going some place REALLY fun. I passed the time by telling her all the fun things she would see at the museum. 

We finally pulled in and parked at 5:45.  I was pretty much the only person at the Gateway mall that night. Everybody else was smart enough to stay home.  Kayla called and said she was stuck in traffic coming from Logan and said she wouldn't be there for an hour or two. 

I got the girls loaded in the stroller and then realized I parked on the complete wrong side of the mall. I had to trek through the windy blizzard with my 5 mth old and my 2 year old. We got to the Children's museum right at 6:00 and the doors were locked. I read the hours on the door....it closed at 6. I wanted to cry. 

I was expecting the worst from Adaliah- I had made her sit in a car for 1 1/2 hours, trekked her through the freezing snow, and now we couldn't go?! I remembered that we had passed a toy store on our way, so I told her we were going to a fun toy store instead to see all the toys because this place was closed. She was a little bummed, but handled it like a champ. We went back out into the blizzard down to the toy store. On the door was a sign. "Closed for inventory". Now I REALLY wanted to cry.

As we passed the toy store Adaliah started to tear up- confused why we weren't going there either.  I told her we were going some place else fun instead. I frantically looked around at all the stores trying to find a place that would keep us happy and entertained for two hours while we waited for Kayla. 

Barnes and Noble! We ran in and headed back to the children's section. Adaliah yelled "mom! It's not closed! We made it" She thought we were at the childrens museum. Phew! We were there for two hours waiting for Kayla. I sat and read every book in the store to Adaliah.  She was in heaven. 

I wish I could be more like a child. No stress, no worries, so content to enjoy the moment. Adaliah hadn't eaten dinner and  it was her bed time- yet I didn't hear a squeak of complaining from her. I was so grateful I cried a little. :) 

Finally around 8:30 Kayla showed up and we had dinner. After dinner, Kayla's husband offered to walk down to the other side of the mall and get our car so I didn't have to take the girls back out into the storm. What a lifesaver! 

At around 10 we headed back and the roads were still insane so we spent the night at my sisters house in Midvale. (No pj's, toothbrushes...or any essentials) 

It was an adventure to say the least.

But what doesn't kill you- makes you stronger. Right?