So she surfs the ol' Inter-web and comes up with a fist full of places where we can take Ivy to kill time/enjoy our bundle of joy.
First up is the Children's Museum in Cleveland.
We start the day, having Breakfast at "Yours Truly" in Hudson with Ivy's pal, Sloane and her handlers, Kenny & Kendra. Things went oooooooooookay, but eating at a sit-down restaurant with 2 Thirteen month olds is like having a couple of live grenades at the table. Not exactly relaxing. So we leave the fine folks at "Yours Truly," scrapping eggs/pancakes, what-have-you off of the ceiling, walls and anyone unfortunate enough to have been seated by our table and head up to Cleveland.
Ivy naps on the way up and the drive is uneventful.
The Children's Museum turns out to be pretty nifty. There's all kinds of stuff for the Kids to play with and Ivy & Sloane are just old enough to start taking advantage of what the place has to offer. My favorite part was seeing how Ivy handles being around other Kids. (Surprisingly well, for being trapped in one room with her weird Dad most of the time...)
We leave the Museum and head to our second stop, the Beachwood Public Library. Huh? Wha?
We take the scenic route, hoping the girls will again nap (no such luck) and arrive in Beachwood around 2:30. The Crookstons ring our cell and put forth the idea of stopping at PfChang's for some grub. The restaurant is a complete zoo, (at 2:30 on a Sunday???!?!?) but we manage to score a table with 2 highchairs. Sloane attacks a plate of lo mein with the ferocity of a rabid hyena, while Ivy shares her Mom and Dad's Garlic Noodles and Asparagus. Yes, Asparagus. Ivy loves it and it sure lets you know when she has a wet diaper, if you know what I mean and I think you do. Once again, the kids need constant attention and the whole meal feels like some twisted version of Beat the Clock. The stress level hovers at a constant 9.5 and the adults barely get to say 2 words to each other through the whole ordeal. At the end of it all, I manage 2 seconds to pop my fortune cookie. The fortune: "A quiet evening with friends is the best tonic for a long day."
I shit you not.
Sooooooooo, we leave PfChang's.
Sloane is in full on melt-down mode, the Crookstons, in a shinning moment of clarity, decide to forego the potential wonders of the Beachwood Public Library and instead, beat ass back to Kent.
The Geldhof's soldier on....
The BPL turns out to be, yes you guessed it, pretty much just a Library. Sure, there's a big plastic hollow tree in the middle of the Children's section, but oh, C'MON!
Anyway, there's several Kids there, and once again it's fun to watch Ivy interact with tiny humans.
After several board books and much running around, Ivy begins to look pretty weary so we head home, feeling like most of the day has been filled.
We pull into the driveway, look at the clock and discover...it's 5:00.
It FEELS like 10:00, but it's only 5:00.
What the hell.
Time for some Yo Gabba Gabba.
She DID look pretty damn cute today...
3 comments:
I.... am crying! Holy schitt.
Eating out with Evie for lunch a few weeks back was similar - it began with a steady stream of ever-changing plastic toys to keep her engaged. By the time the food came, we had rifled through all 5 or 6 toys and were left with a fussy baby who wanted a new perspective at the table. Its a juggling act filled with baby bobbling, stupid sound effects and constant nonsense chatter to keep her from crying. And at the end of the meal (when Rob's out walking her around and I'm asking the server to NOT take my food cause I'm actually, finally, getting started on it), I think to myself, "Why did I think this would be a fun family outing?
Its reassuring to know we are a typical family and then its also horrifying to know its not getting better anytime in the next 7 months....
*wink*
This entry, along with Sloane's made me laugh my ass off. Please go out more and tell me more stories. Its like watching Jerry Springer.
Geldhof has reproduced?!!!
Wow, cute offspring for a guy with such a weird beard.
Found this site through Craig's
Ivy looks delightful. My daughter Maeve is nine and still a joy.
Looks like you're having fun being a dad - best job I ever had.
Kraiger
Hey, Mike!
Nice to hear from ya!
Yeah, it's been a crazy year.
And after a couple more, I may even get a chance to do some drawing again!
I will, won't I?
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