Learn from my Mistakes!

I wish I'd gotten this post up earlier but we've been just holding on this week! I had to laugh at myself & my "First-Time" Mom-ness earlier this week. On Wednesday, I had to run to the post-office, and decided we'd combine it with a trip to the park a few miles away, rather than the one w/in walking distance of the house. (Note: This is the park w/ the water park element that we visited last weekend...). I thought we'd go to the post office first, THEN go to the park, but decided NO, we'd get his energy out THEN do the errand. (ha ~ keep reading to see how that moment of genius turns out!)

We get to Desert Breeze, I plunk him down in front of the equipment so he can decide what he'll do. He walks up the ramp, into the maze as I follow, then watch him climb DOWN stairs he'd never bothered with before...and continued walking under this bridge, past picnic tables...only to end up SMACK dab in front of the water park. HA. Of course, he immediately bent down and started splashing in the puddles. That was fine w/ me ~ not prepared for a water experience, but he's only pudding. I can do this. THEN, he ventured into water that began to creep up onto his little leather sandals. The prissy part of me said, "No, let's go back to the playground because you'll ruin your shoes." We go back over, to have him turn back around, and head RIGHT back. DUH, Jill, take the shoes off and he can play. Who cares? Needless to say, my son happily puddled, played, sat down in the puddles as I groaned inwardly, thinking I had not even a dry diaper or towel in the car I was SO underprepared.

Brendan then decides to go check out the drain, which is located in the middle of the pad. He's watching the water spiral towards the drain and I follow on his heels...only to have the second phase of the sprinkler animals come on, so we're BLASTED by giant concrete seals. I'm drenched, look down @ him and he's standing there, immobile, not sure where this water is coming from or how to move himself. SO I grab him, we high-tail it out of there and head back towards the playground.

Murphy's Law, anyone?? What do you think a 15 mo. old finds when he has a wet butt? The SANDBOX, of course!!!! I couldn't stand it. Made a beeline for the sand, started picking up the sand toys and happily dug himself a little pile. Again, I'm cringing. Now, not only is my son wet, and I have 1) no towel, 2) no change of clothes, and 3) no dry diaper, he's now also covered with sand.

Fortunately, he was totally happy, even when I stripped him down to bare nakedness in the parking lot (thankfully the diaper had remained DRY?! YEAH HUGGIES!). I shook out his shoes so the sandbox didn't travel home with us (one thing I did RIGHT!), buckled him happily in the back, then headed to the post office. We ended up going into the post office, package in one hand and naked baby w/ a hat & diaper in the other. :) Next time I'll go to the park LAST....