Constructive Playthings

This morning the boys, Audrey and me went (along with Pat, Anna and Jovy) to Constructive Playthings a.k.a. U.S. Toys with the intent of buying some play food. I went online last night and made a shopping list of potential things I wanted to buy, including the food, but also some bean bags, pegs, visual schedules if any, and memory matching games. Jovy really didn't like her parents paying attention to mine and she made herself known. I'm grateful to Pat and Anna for helping me watch the kids in turn while I perused the aisles. I'm glad I had a list, too, so that I wouldn't get too distracted as was easily possible. The whole purpose of this trip was to supplement the toys I currently have with ones that Nikko would find more purposeful, such as the play food. I bought the following items: a memory game, colored bean bags, pegs and a small peg board, 4 toy plates, play food pizza (with cutter and spatula), food basket with more cutable fruits and veggies, a oball football, play food sandwiches and a KidKnex Grover that was $5 on sale from $19.99 (SCORE!). Oh yeah, and two hula hoops that were at the checkout counter. Sucker.

Afterwards, we went to my mom's house since CP was in Skokie and we had lunch. The boys and Jovy were crawling over each other in the kitchen but seemed to tolerate each other's company regardless. Audrey was in a good mood and didn't cry when my mom held her. This was not the case last night at the in-law's house where she cried in everybody's face. If you just looked at her she started crying. But today she graced us with a pleasant mood that lasted until she went to bed.

We came home for about an hour and then we packed up to go to Rosie's birthday party for Jack and Joshua. When we parked the Pilot Denis carried Nikko and the car seat while I had Ronin. Everyone was crabby from waking up from a nap (except Audrey), and Denis put Nikko on the ground to walk the rest of the way. He seemed to protest, but didn't go Noodleman on us, thank goodness. When we got inside, Nikko became pretty calm because we gave him pizza. Ronin, on the other hand, was a little monster for the first 20 minutes. There was no pleasing him, even though he was sitting in my lap. After I ate, I took Ronin downstairs where all the other kids played and let him rummage around for some cars. I knew he was curious because there were all sorts of toys on the floor. He picked a car, I picked another little vehicle as well as a dinosaur, and came upstairs. This entertained him for a bit, but it wasn't until I put him in front of the tank that held two swimming turtles that he calmed down and was mesmerized. This doesn't mean I'm going to run out and get some turtles, however. Nikko was totally into his pizza during all this and he didn't wander far from us. Later on Denis took Nikko to watch the pinata activity in the garage as well as an egg hunt, but he was more interested in playing with the push broom. We ended up staying much later than I anticipated so I made sure the boys had their dinner, gave Audrey a bottle, and then we left around 8:30pm. Late! When we got home the boys were content to play/watch TV in the living room for a little bit before bathtimes. Audrey was extremely active once I woke her up when we came home. I needed to wake her to give her a bath before bed, but she seemed so revved up that I didn't think she'd fall asleep. She did, alongside Denis, and I had to get Ronin bathed because he was having a meltdown. Nikko was the last cherub to get to bed and he was pleasant to us the entire time. After we sang songs, scurried into bed and said prayers, he sat up and kissed me good night, then leaned over and kissed Denis good night without prompting. Times like that are precious. Awwwwww.