Helper monkeys

Today we had no Dada nor Ryan. They've flown the coop to do some geologizing in Virginia until tomorrow. We busied ourselves with several exciting activities. First there was playgroup today, with a seriously sparse turnout. But lucky for us the turnout at the Gymboree class that meets at the same spot was also sparse, and the instructor invited all us cheapskates to play on her squishy fun equipment for free. No sense in letting it go unused, she said.

After naps and dinner, I set the fellers to work. Somebody has to do those dirty dishes.



Then I packed everyone in the car, braving the icy veneer left on the roads by Winter Storm '07!, because I no longer possess jeans with intact knees. We went to Old Navy and picked up a new pair of britches for the mama. But the real find were the bouncy balls, of which we now own three more. Our Old Navy has an oversized gumball-type machine that dispenses bouncy balls for a quarter, and wouldn't you know but I had two of them? Eagle-eye Isaac found a third one hiding under a display near the front and we called Keepers and took it home.

Isaac was in rare word-diarrhea form tonight. As we stood in line at Old Navy to check out, it was "Mommy, what does that say? Is that a 'four'? I'm going to ask the lady if she knows where the rocket is. Can I have this big red ball? Is that a blinking star? What's that lady doing? Look, is that my friend, the boy with the other ball? I want to bounce mine just like that! Can I have Jacob's ball? Do you think it's light outside? Can I ride in the cart? Me hold your money!" Imagine Motor Mouth running on and on, nonstop, but with each comment followed by a response of some kind from me. There was a lady in front of us who was a bit older and had been shopping in the little people's section with us (yes! I did! It's a sickness, I know.). After about 5 minutes of Isaac yapping his trap and barely stopping for a breath, the lady turned coyly around towards me and, with a knowing look, smiled and chuckled to herself. I was happy to banter with my toddler, but I still wanted to joke with her about the situation. "It's like this all day!" I said. She only smiled and reminded me, "It's just wonderful."

After Old Navy I took the boys to Starbucks for a sit-down coffee. I bought Jacob his first-ever Starbucks beverage, a whole milk steamer with a shot of chocolate. He drank about three sips before lurching for Isaac's vanilla cow milky, the turkey. Then it was home, bath, and bed. They are so pooped.

And all this without a single second of TV today. It was fun.