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Journal Key:

Green = Steve | George = navy | Janet = Purple | Evelyn = Black

11/7/13 (Thursday)

Steve dropped the kids and me off at the airport with enough time to have lunch before our flight. We went to the same diner we'd eaten at before our last trip to Florida, where Owen played devotedly with his set of plastic cats and the new plastic dogs that Cara and I had picked up for him for the trip. Two of the dogs, he decided, were crying. One was crying because he had a wrinkly neck. The other was crying because he was too fluffy.

The kids got some gummy candy at a bulk store, because their grandmama is very good to them. Fortunately, Owen scooped his own Swedish fish and therefore didn't get very much. It was good to have, though. Grandmama shook the bag to get him to follow us into the line and board the plane. Then, unfortunately, Owen tried to make me eat one.

The kids sat with their grandma, and I got to basically have a couple of hours off. It was lovely. At West Palm we took a little while to get to baggage claim because Owen takes his sweet time in the bathroom. (In Newark, he had insisted on stopping to get out guys and set them up on the floor of a stall. Whenever he washed his hands, he had also taken to washing his face. When soap got involved in that phase, things were particularly difficult. I've been letting him stand on my knees to reach the water, so it's easy for him and difficult for me to help.) Because we'd taken so long, our bags were waiting for us. At the rental agency, the booster seat was in the car. Everything ran smoothly.

We went to Grandma Anne's house, where the family was gathered, with Arnie's houseguest Doug, for an excellent dinner. The kids were both right at home and kept themselves amused. Cara discovered that she could flip headfirst over the back of the couch. Owen discovered that he could, too. I was so delighted. I was more pleased when he crawled under the end table in the corner and hid in a "hole." He wanted me to join him, but he was overly optimistic. He very much enjoyed the two zebra pillows; I'm relieved that they survived several days of being carried around by their tails.

11/8/13 (Friday)

The kids and I got ourselves dressed and drove over to Nancy's house, where we all had breakfast (except, of course, for the men). The kids were very happy to see the cats, particularly. Calvin did not object to playing with them, either. Tuffy went under a bed. Grandma Anne brought a broom to get him out with, but I'm not sure that she was successful.

When everyone was ready, we piled into two cars and drove to the zoo! We'd never been there before, and we definitely plan on going again! It was a wonderful little zoo, with twisty, shaded paths and animals who were active and interesting. Well, most of them were active. The gila monster and other reptiles really weren't, but they were still fun. The bears were great; one was in a pool right by a glass window, and when he tried to climb out the other bear scared him back in. Grandma Anne and Aunt Nancy had quarters, so the kids got to feed the birds, including a flamingo! We saw a cougar pacing around and jumping onto a big branch, where it sat to wash itself. We saw a gigantic white alligator . . . doing nothing.

Nancy, who had very unhelpfully been offering to buy the children any animals they wanted, settled for buying them toys at the gift shop. Owen selected about six things, then sat on the floor and made them fight. I managed to cull some, and then he changed his mind several times about what he was getting. We didn't get anything that squeaked! It was close. He eventually put back what he'd settled on when I pointed out a little pouch of plastic animals, identical to the one we'd lost on our way back from New Mexico this summer. He's delighted to be reunited with them.

Dinner was leftovers back at Grandma's house, which was nice because I was able to settle the kids with a movie. They really needed some down time by then!

11/9/13 (Saturday)

It was a rainy day, so we did not go to the nature preserve as we had planned. Instead, while Grandmama and Aunt Nancy drove up to the airport to pick up Arielle, the kids and Grandma Anne and I went to the library. There is a beautiful children's section! Owen and I barely got past the entrance, because they had a very enticing display of board books. The books weren't really great, but we had to sit in a big chair and read several of them. Cara and Grandma Anne went and looked at books: Cara came back with four chapter books, though we had only one day left. Next summer, we definitely have to go to the library sooner! There was also a whole wall of DVDs. Grandma Anne found a Lego superhero movie that was perfect for Owen. He also picked out a Scooby Doo, of course.

Leaving them at the house, I went to pick up pizza for lunch. When I got back, the ladies were back from the airport. My priority was getting Owen into the bathroom. I told him this. "Do you think Arielle, your cousin, wants to see me go pee-pee?" he asked. Yes, I did think so. She was, fortunately, very cooperative and appropriately impressed.

After lunch, when Uncle Arnie got out of work, everyone except Grandma Anne, who got a much-needed break, got into cars and drove to Boomers, a very exciting and loud family fun place, where the kids got to play arcade games and collect tickets to exchange for prizes. Cara got to play air hockey with Arielle and with Arnie. Owen and I found several games that he could at least believe he was playing, and soon he was charging around clutching ribbons of tickets as tall as he was!

He fell asleep in the car on the way up, while we picked up Grandma Anne, stopped to say hello to Doug, and drove to Chili's. He was, fortunately, snuggly and lovely when he woke up. In the restaurant he played with his zoo toys and the new plastic dinosaur he'd picked out at Boomers. There were some vicious fights.

11/10/13 (Sunday)

For our last day, Uncle Arnie picked up a beautiful bagel brunch, including mini-bagels for the kids. He also got each of them a cupcake, with sprinkles! He also juggled golf balls, which impressed Owen very much. Owen's response, though, was that he wanted to do that, too. I made him start with one ball, which he can toss into the air and catch in his lap.

We took some family photos and said good-bye. We'll be back down in July, though!

On the flight back, we flew first class! The seats are very big and roomy. We got drinks before take-off! We got little bowls of warm, salted nuts. Owen liked all of this. We got a meal. We got to wash our hands with warm wash cloths. Life was good. Owen didn't sleep, but he was content to be ignored for a lot of the flight.

When we landed, he was not interested in getting off the plane. I reminded him that it was time to go see Daddy. What would he do when he saw Daddy? Would he run to him and give him a big hug? When we eventually did see Daddy, Owen ran to him, calling, "I have to give you a hug!"

We were all very happy to see Steve. I was happy not least because I'd spent a lot of time with Owen in public restrooms, and now I was off-duty. We had made the happy discovery that Owen is tall enough for most toilets, though, and at West Palm in the morning Owen had pushed me out of the stall, closed the door, and used the toilet by himself. I know because I spied through a crack.

It was great to be home and all together again!

11/11/13 (Monday)

Back to school! Owen was busily stringing big wooden beads on a shoelace when I got to YBR. It was a while before he was ready to stop and get ready to go. When we came back out with his lunch box, Miss Vina, who has been transferred downstairs and is now Owen's all-day teacher, asked him what letter they were studying this week. "Come on, don't make me look bad!" she begged. He craned his neck and looked around her at the bulletin board with the H on it. "H!" he said.

Having subsequently questioned him, I can only conclude that it was an utter coincidence.

11/12/13 (Tuesday)

After--well, really after only a very few years of experience, I have come to the conclusion that Owen is a different child from Cara and needs to be treated differently. Therefore, I am tired of putting up with his non-listening, and I am done taking it. I carried him kicking and screaming to the car today after YBR. It was 38 degees out, and I had made him let me zip up his coat. I perversely look forward to another opportunity to show him that I mean what I say and it's his job to listen. Sort of.

After that complete meltdown, we did have a nice evening.

Both kids were in bed when I heard a thump from Owen's room, followed by cries. I ran upstairs. His book had fallen out of bed. After the second occurrance, I had to explain to him that it had to be closed if he wanted to snuggle it. It IS a library book, after all.

11/13/13 (Wednesday)

I told Owen that PJ and Casey were coming over for dinner, and he squealed with glee. "I'm so impressed!" he said.

Owen somehow managed to wet himself after we got home. I send him upstairs to take off his wet things, which he did. Then he got distracted by the stickers in one of his superhero books. He wanted to put one on his dresser. I said no. On his step stool? OK. Well, his step stool is now covered with stickers. He had kind of a tough time getting the stickers out of the book, and he kept calling for help. I kept reminding him that he needed to put pants on. The stalemate lasted for a very long time.

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