PLAY DATE AT THE MALL

Brrr! It is cold outside. Like really, really cold! This is not good. It is especially not good for "stir crazy" mommies, like myself. The thought of having to stay in the house all day, makes me crazy!! I know it's not really fair to take my little baby outside, but it's also not fair to have a crazy mommy is it?? LOL Today, we met a friend who has 2 little ones (talk about stir crazy mom) at the mall. NO, we didn't go shopping, that would NOT be fun with three kids under 3, we went to the play zone.  Okay, I don't actually know what it is officially called, but you know that play area in the middle of the mall? The one with a gate all around it and lots of kids running and playing on large foam play things? Yeah, that. We went there. Luckily, we got a parking spot in the underground parking lot, so we didn't have to go outside or worry about the truck being ice cold when we were done.

I had never been to a mall play zone before, so this was a new experience, but I was desperate to find something else for Ryder and I to do besides eat dog food.  Apparently, you have to put your name on a list and wait your turn to get into the play zone. We were lucky, we got there 5 minutes before the announcement that says, "Play time is now over. Please exit the play zone." Came over the loud speaker. Once the place was cleared out, we parked our strollers and unleased the kids...okay, unleashed is an exaggeration. Neither one of our youngest kids could actually walk without our help, but they took off as fast as their little legs and our fingers would let them go! I was surprised at how many of the things Ryder could do. He crawled (a new skill for him) over things, under bridges and after other kids. He walked holding onto the foam wings of airplanes, doors of police cars and railings of bridges. He laughed, he got excited and he concentrated! So much fun! Who knew??? I used to laugh at people who took their kids to the mall play zone for exercise, but now, after trying it out, I can see how valuable places like these actually are, especially on freezing ass cold days like today!!!