And It's Only Lunchtime

This morning, bright and early (I barely had time to cram a waffle into my mouth as we ran out the door), the toddler and I headed off for his two year checkup. [Cue sentimental momma thinking, Wasn't it just yesterday that he was born? When on earth did he gain 20 pounds and starting throwing tantrums?]

I felt bad because the only way I could get him to dart out of the house was by saying, "Hey! Do you want to go see an alligator?"

Suddenly all thoughts of a comfy couch, V8 juice, Kix cereal (his favorite), and Dinosaur Train flew out the window.

"A alligator!!!! Let's go, Mommy!!!!"

Success.

We pulled into the parking lot of the doctor's office with my son still shouting about seeing a big alligator. I turned around, assumed that our pediatric clinic had not added an alligator to the waiting room fish tank, and said, "Okay, first we're just going to see some fish. And after we see the fish, then we can see the alligator."

His appointment went great--everything normal. His doctor asked, "How's his eating?"

"Good," I replied, "except he doesn't eat vegetables. He drinks V8 juice though." So, his doctor recommended that I start him on vitamins. Okay, no biggie.

After some screaming and shouting, "MY HURT!" and evil looks at the nurse, we headed out the door to go see the alligator! What can I say? I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. A momma is faithful one hundred percent.

So off we went to the Pinnacle Mountain Visitor Center. An employee greeted us as we walked in, "Hello! How are you? Have you ever been out here before?"

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I couldn't help myself, I laughed. Um, yes, I've been coming here since I was about six, and my son and I come out here about every other week. I just said, "Oh yes, this is one of our favorite places."

Thank the good Lord above, the alligator was in his tank (sometimes he isn't, and momma feels like a liar who needs to hop in the car, drive to the other side of town, and go to the Witt Stephens Nature Center to deliver her promise of an alligator). The toddler ran around and looked at the snake, the bumble bees, and all the other exhibits that haven't changed in twenty years.

When we were walking out to the car, he said, "See the rocks?"

I knew he wanted to throw rocks in the pond--one of his favorite things to do.

"Baby, it's just too hot outside. I'm sorry."

Too hot outside? That's nothing that a Sonic slush can't fix. That settled it--our next destination was Sonic.

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We pulled in, and I decided to do something I'd never done before: order a slush for the toddler. I knew it could be a total disaster--a sticky, red, ant-covered disaster. But nonetheless, I leaned over, pushed that little red button and ordered him a slush. He got to get out of his seat, sit next to momma, push and twist all the dials, and take all of about four sips of his slush. I'm pretty sure he thought he was in big boy heaven--for about ten minutes.

Then it was back in the carseat and to Walmart we go! He didn't want to go into the store, and so I told him we were going to get candy just for him. As soon as I said that, I had a flash back to when my own two-year-old brother treated the bottle of vitamins like candy and my dad ended up reaching his arm down his throat scraping Flintstones vitamins out. But, alas, the damage had already been done.

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"Candy! I hold it?"

"Yes, you may hold it."

So, we went in and bought a container of Flintstone's gummy vitamins, and yes, the toddler did get to hold it the entire time.

When we got to the car, I asked him, "Do you want some candy right now?" I opened the bottle, handed him a gummy, and watched--just sure he was going to spit it out and there goes $6 and an attempt to cover our no-vegetable-eating mistake. But no, he thought it was yummy, and proceeded to scream the rest of the way home, "CANDY! PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE! PLEASE, MOMMA! CANDY! SOME CANDY! PLEASE? PLEASE? PLEASE? PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE?"

And now, we're home. And it's only lunchtime, and I'm left thinking, "When, oh when, will fall be here? We need to be able to go to the park, and throw rocks in the pond, and kill time outside!" I wish I could hibernate during summer. :)