Color Me Surprised
The visit with Dave's mother went much better than I thought it would. She got here late Friday night around 11pm. We talked for a bit after she got inside, then we went to bed. We had breakfast in the morning (bacon, eggs, and toast, which I had made sure to buy) and she and I took Phe food shopping for the trip. Being as we would be staying in a time-share place on the beach, we needed to get milk, eggs, dinner food and the like.
She has a time-share in Puerta Viarta (spelling) and traded it with someone for the one in Myrtle Beach that we stayed in. Anyway, we went off to her favorite food store, Aldi's. We got a lot of stuff, then went to Food Lion to get what we couldn't find at Aldi's. We got back home, filled the cooler, loaded up both cars, and headed out. Dave had to take his car because he could only stay for the weekend. He had to drive back Sunday afternoon. He and his mom drove in his car, and I followed with Phe in mine.
The drive down went mostly ok. We went through some big place called South of the Border. It was a tourist attraction of some kind, but was closed because it was off-season. We got to the place (Riptide) a little after 5pm Saturday. We got everything into the room (we stayed in D-11), and hung out for a bit. We went to a buffet place for dinner. Sunday morning we went to Broadway On The Beach, which is a huge mall/complex a few blocks from the condo place. We went to the Ripley's Aquarium and spent the morning there looking at all kinds of beautiful fish, sharks, moray eels (did you know they have to have their mouths open to breathe or they die?), crabs, coral reefs, you name it.
After that, we went looking for swimsuits for Dave and me. We found some after looking quite a while, then went back and went to the beach. Phe was afraid of the water. I picked her up and held her while the waves came in and smacked me around a bit, then took her back to the towels and let her play with her sand buckets and stuff. She threw sand around like a crazy woman. A little later I took her down to the water again and tried a different tactic. When the waves washed up, I would tell her "here they come, tickle feet.....WOOSH!" After a couple times, she started squealing and walked with me into the water, just up to her knees though. Dave and I were holding her hands just in case because the undertow was pretty decent.
After that, it was time to go to the lunch buffet at another restaurant. Then, Dave had to drive home. Understand that we hadn't been apart (other than his stay in the hospital) since I moved up here 3 years ago. He hated it, I cried as I watched him drive off. He called when he got home 3 hours later (it took us 4 on the drive down...I don't even want to know how fast he went) so all was good.
Monday morning, the three of us went to the Children's Museum. It was pretty nice. It had all kinds of discovery stuff to play with (fyi, I'm moving to the moon, since I'd only weigh about 20 pounds there...). One thing I had a problem with was "the regulars". The kids that live in the area and go there a lot are pretty selfish. I had to interfere a few times just to get them off toys so that Phe could have a turn to play with them.
Tuesday was zoo day. We went to the Waccatee zoo. It was a small zoo, probably 1/3 the size of the Columbus zoo, but I swear we saw more than twice the number of animals here. Phe got to feed animals through the fences, and she squealed and laughed. We only let her feed the deer and pigs, just in case. Most of the cages had signs that said the animals bite. They had lions, tigers, bears, zebras, water buffalo, camels, monkeys, all kinds of birds, and a neat reptile area in the main entrance shop.
Wednesday, we went back to Broadway on the Beach for shopping. We spent most of the day there and had a lot of fun. Grannie Annie wanted to take Phe to the Build-A-Bear Workshop for her upcoming birthday, so she got to pick out a toy and get it stuffed, put in the heart, and all that. And wouldn't you know...she picks out a penguin. Not any of the cute bears, kittens, or other stuff, but Cody from Surf's Up. She thought he was Mumble from Happy Feet, so we named him Happy Feet. The place had a little play area for kids with 3 different slides. Phe was in heaven, running back and forth between them and sliding down everything. She threw a fit when we had to leave.
Thursday was spent going swimming and then back to Broadway for her to play on the slides some more. Phe also had her first ice cream cone, which she got EVERYWHERE, even her hair (though that was her grannie's fault).
Friday more of the same, and packing up for the drive home Saturday morning. We drove back, then went to Crazy Fire (mongolian grill here in Raleigh), then drove her to the airport.
She did tell me while we were in Myrtle Beach that I was doing a good job, that Phe was a good eater, and that I was a good mom. That meant more to me than the whole trip.
Anyway, back to more fun stuff like dealing with my idiot ex and his legal stuff, and getting ready for the IEP meeting for Phe. We will find out when that will be Thursday afternoon.
She has a time-share in Puerta Viarta (spelling) and traded it with someone for the one in Myrtle Beach that we stayed in. Anyway, we went off to her favorite food store, Aldi's. We got a lot of stuff, then went to Food Lion to get what we couldn't find at Aldi's. We got back home, filled the cooler, loaded up both cars, and headed out. Dave had to take his car because he could only stay for the weekend. He had to drive back Sunday afternoon. He and his mom drove in his car, and I followed with Phe in mine.
The drive down went mostly ok. We went through some big place called South of the Border. It was a tourist attraction of some kind, but was closed because it was off-season. We got to the place (Riptide) a little after 5pm Saturday. We got everything into the room (we stayed in D-11), and hung out for a bit. We went to a buffet place for dinner. Sunday morning we went to Broadway On The Beach, which is a huge mall/complex a few blocks from the condo place. We went to the Ripley's Aquarium and spent the morning there looking at all kinds of beautiful fish, sharks, moray eels (did you know they have to have their mouths open to breathe or they die?), crabs, coral reefs, you name it.
After that, we went looking for swimsuits for Dave and me. We found some after looking quite a while, then went back and went to the beach. Phe was afraid of the water. I picked her up and held her while the waves came in and smacked me around a bit, then took her back to the towels and let her play with her sand buckets and stuff. She threw sand around like a crazy woman. A little later I took her down to the water again and tried a different tactic. When the waves washed up, I would tell her "here they come, tickle feet.....WOOSH!" After a couple times, she started squealing and walked with me into the water, just up to her knees though. Dave and I were holding her hands just in case because the undertow was pretty decent.
After that, it was time to go to the lunch buffet at another restaurant. Then, Dave had to drive home. Understand that we hadn't been apart (other than his stay in the hospital) since I moved up here 3 years ago. He hated it, I cried as I watched him drive off. He called when he got home 3 hours later (it took us 4 on the drive down...I don't even want to know how fast he went) so all was good.
Monday morning, the three of us went to the Children's Museum. It was pretty nice. It had all kinds of discovery stuff to play with (fyi, I'm moving to the moon, since I'd only weigh about 20 pounds there...). One thing I had a problem with was "the regulars". The kids that live in the area and go there a lot are pretty selfish. I had to interfere a few times just to get them off toys so that Phe could have a turn to play with them.
Tuesday was zoo day. We went to the Waccatee zoo. It was a small zoo, probably 1/3 the size of the Columbus zoo, but I swear we saw more than twice the number of animals here. Phe got to feed animals through the fences, and she squealed and laughed. We only let her feed the deer and pigs, just in case. Most of the cages had signs that said the animals bite. They had lions, tigers, bears, zebras, water buffalo, camels, monkeys, all kinds of birds, and a neat reptile area in the main entrance shop.
Wednesday, we went back to Broadway on the Beach for shopping. We spent most of the day there and had a lot of fun. Grannie Annie wanted to take Phe to the Build-A-Bear Workshop for her upcoming birthday, so she got to pick out a toy and get it stuffed, put in the heart, and all that. And wouldn't you know...she picks out a penguin. Not any of the cute bears, kittens, or other stuff, but Cody from Surf's Up. She thought he was Mumble from Happy Feet, so we named him Happy Feet. The place had a little play area for kids with 3 different slides. Phe was in heaven, running back and forth between them and sliding down everything. She threw a fit when we had to leave.
Thursday was spent going swimming and then back to Broadway for her to play on the slides some more. Phe also had her first ice cream cone, which she got EVERYWHERE, even her hair (though that was her grannie's fault).
Friday more of the same, and packing up for the drive home Saturday morning. We drove back, then went to Crazy Fire (mongolian grill here in Raleigh), then drove her to the airport.
She did tell me while we were in Myrtle Beach that I was doing a good job, that Phe was a good eater, and that I was a good mom. That meant more to me than the whole trip.
Anyway, back to more fun stuff like dealing with my idiot ex and his legal stuff, and getting ready for the IEP meeting for Phe. We will find out when that will be Thursday afternoon.