When Reid woke up on Sunday, I asked said, “Guess who is on the couch”. She knew it was Grandma Joyce and when asked, “Guess who is the basement,” she knew it was “Uncle Roge”. I was glad these things were true because (1) I wanted more adults in the house so that I could use the bathroom absolutley alone and (2) I had told her on Friday that they were coming and when they didn’t show up, she had many questions.
We went to Eddie’s for breakfast on Sunday (of course ;+) where Reid refused to sit in the highchair for the first time. She hasn’t used the tray at home for a while but she has insisted on both the chair and “lid” at the restaurant, even though she has to be a bit of a contortionist to get in and out. I’m glad, I guess, because she was bound to get stuck at some point but sad that she is less and less a baby. On the way home we stopped at the grocery store and Reid eventually decided she wanted to try out the mechanical cars, tractors, etc in the mall and so Uncle Roger took her, under strict orders not to put any money in. Ken and I make the appropriate noises and encourage her to join in and sometimes Ken will jiggle the vehicle but we don’t give up our loonies. Once, when Pam’s nephew Justin was visiting, he paid for a ride but he hasn’t been back and so Reid has forgotten the thrill of the vehicle moving on it’s own. Now I know it seems like I’m cheap but I learned from Melissa that I won’t have to listen to Reid whine when I don’t have money if I never hand over the loonie and she’ll always enjoy the “ride”.
Grandma Joyce and I took Reid to the park past the library after our nap since the sun was shining and the park has a cool swing. The highlight for all of us was, I think, the hill by the play structure. Maybe it was that Reid finally felt like running around after so many days of feeling crumby or maybe it was that she knows that sunny days are limited in the autumn or maybe it was that the hill seemed like a mountain to one who is as un-tall (short is an ugly word) as Reid but she ran up the hill giggling. I did what any self-respecting mother would do – I ran up after her to show her how to roll down the hill. She couldn’t be persuaded to put her arms up above her head and so rolled in an erratic manner but she did like rolling. After a particularly long roll, she tried to stand up and had a very concerned look on her face when she realized how dizzy she was. “Hep, Mama” she said as Grandma Joyce and I laughed since we had just discussed that we were surprised she wasn’t dizzy.
Reid skipped daycare on Monday to spend time with Uncle Roger and Grandma Joyce. Since it was a day for the cleaners to visit, Uncle Roger took Reid to the park when the ladies were supposed to be there. By 8:30, they were at the park. By 9:30, they were checking to see if the library was open (it wasn’t til 10) and they hit the grocery store and got home just as the cleaners were leaving. I’m not sure what else they did but Reid was playing happily when I got home.
Reid ditched daycare again Tuesday. In the afternoon, Reid took Grandma and Uncle Roger to the Agricultural Museum. When they decided to go, it was spitting but by the time they got there, it was raining hard but since they’re farm-folk they persevered. When Ken and I got home, Reid reported that she had seen a “daddy cow” – and agreed that she knew it was really a “daddy cow bull” – and a mama cow, a mama pig with baby pigs (drinking mama milk), etc. She didn’t see any “grandma pigs”, though, and was amused by the question. I heard stories about playing in the basement and using the potty down there (a novelty, I guess) but I don’t have details. Maybe Uncle Roger will share some funny stories.
After a quick nurse, Ken and I left to go out for supper. Together. By ourselves. Alone with each other. Fabulous! When we told Reid, she got all choked up, umm, no she didn’t, she said “Bye, Daddy” and “Bye, Mama” in a carefree voice but was persuaded to give hugs and kisses. Ken had to go back to work after supper but the 75 minutes we had together were great!