Monkey on a Swing and MIA Giraffey

These pictures of my little monkey on a swing sure are cute, but they don’t really have anything to do with this post. However, I wanted y’all to have something to look at while I recount a story from earlier in the week. Monday afternoon was an interesting one.

When I arrived at school to pick Riley up (late, of course), Ms. Amanda was frantically looking around for Giraffey. He had been missing most of the day.

He definitely walked into school holding him, and his routine is to put him in his cubby to hang out until naptime, which he said he did. Only Ms. Amanda couldn’t find him at naptime. And then she couldn’t find him anywhere at the end of the day either. Strange.

She said she’d keep looking and have Ms. Lisa look as well before they left. She was confident we’d find him. Me, not so much. Meanwhile, Ms. Michelle let Riley take a giraffe puppet home from the center room as a consolation lovey. Very sweet.

I felt so bad leaving school without Giraffey. Riley was sad and really didn’t want to leave without him but he didn’t react as bad as I thought he would. I think I was more upset than he was! Giraffey was a gift to Riley before he was even born, so he holds a special meaning for me, too.

Lisa and I texted back and forth a bit later in the afternoon and, long story short, I ended up going back to school to look around for Giraffey. Lisa stays late for after care and was happy to let me in.

I left the boys with Nola and Nopsi and headed to school once again. Before I went, though, I sent an email to all of the PK3 parents asking if by chance any of them had discovered a stowaway in their child’s schoolbag that afternoon. Fingers crossed.

As I suspected, my search of the PK3 building was fruitless. I really didn’t want to leave a second time without Giraffey, but I was forced to. I checked my email and found only one parent response, a negative one. Dejected, I drove back to Nola and Nopsi’s to give Riley the unfortunate news.

It’s silly, but I was actually really upset about the whole situation. Riley has been so attached to that giraffe since he was so little, and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. We don’t even have a replacement in case he ever really does get lost. It just wouldn’t be the same.

Then, lo and behold, I checked my email again as I was coming down Nola and Nopsi’s street. Sophia’s mom had responded that they had him. Hallelujah!

I pulled over and emailed Adrienne back right away, thanking her profusely and accepting her offer to bring Giraffey back to us. She dropped him off a little while later and the wonk potatoes was overjoyed at seeing his best friend again.

Crisis averted. However, I am now seriously considering ordering a back-up giraffe, just in case (God forbid) something like this ever happens again. It still wouldn’t be the same, but it may be good enough for Riley.

Not for me, though. I discovered on Monday that I’d really miss that giraffe.

Mama Mountain

One evening, after a particularly long day, I went upstairs with Kenny and Riley to play for a bit.

Only I was too tired to do anything but lay down on the floor.

So Riley of course seized the opportunity to use all of his stuffed animals…..

…..to create Mama Mountain.

He kept piling animals and blankets and pillows all over and around me…..

…..and didn’t stop until his chair was completely empty and practically every inch of me was covered.

It may look pretty silly but I was actually quite warm and comfy in there. I really didn’t want to emerge from my soft cocoon but it was eventually time for Riley to get into bed.

So, with Riley’s permission, I did reluctantly get up, destroying the mountain in the process.

Had I stayed put, though, there was a decent chance I would have fallen sound asleep. It had been that kind of day.

Ten Things

1. Rory is hard at work growing more teeth, and he has no shortage of things to chew on to give his gums a bit of relief, including Mama’s beer bottle, a toy chick, and an end table.

 

2. Riley and Kate helped Nola plant some flowers in her backyard one afternoon a couple of weeks ago and of course the new plants needed a drink afterwards.

3. Grandma took the four of us to see Rio 2 over Easter break. It wasn’t as good as the first one, and Riley was sometimes more interested in the jelly beans I brought for him than watching Blu and Jewel, but we had a good time nevertheless. Thanks, Grandma!

4. Playing in the bathtub and then taking a quick ride before bed!

5. Alcee came over on Easter Monday for a playdate. These two had so much fun together. I foresee doing this again and again over the summer.

6. Chillin’ with Mama while watching Mickey.

7. The pool is open…..kind of. Aunt E signed Kate up for swimming lessons since she was on vacation all last week, and Nopsi was kind enough to heat the pool so the water wasn’t insanely cold. I brought Riley over after he woke up from his nap on Monday afternoon and he was all about jumping in. He’ll take his swimming lessons the first week of June!

8. Rory and I met Aunt E and Kate to do some shopping one morning last week. These two cousins sure do make each other smile.

9. Sporting his new pi onesie handmade by QP and his new summer crocs!

10. Multitasking, at its best.

Have a great week, y’all!

The Quotable Riley-bean, Part Twelve

February 6: (while hanging out of the window in the drop-off line) Hey dudes! Are you ready for a fun day at school?

February 8: (Me: There’s a lot of people at your school today; I wonder what’s going on.) Maybe there’s an emergency.

February 11: (Me: What kind of dinosaur are you?) A mighty-saurus! (Me: Does that mean you’re really strong?) Yeah! (Me: Well how big are you?) THIS big! (Me: Whoa, that’s really big. What color are you?) Green! (Me: What do you like to eat?) Food for my healthy and body.

February 15: I didn’t want to put a jacket on. Mama didn’t listen to my orders!

February 19: I wanna go to that place one day, Mama. It has hamburgers and sandwiches at it. (Me: How do you know that?) Because I used my thinking cap!

February 23: Rory is like an angel. (Me: Why?) Because he is an angel. (Me: Are you an angel?) Nah, I'm a king!

March 4: (Grandma: Why can’t you sleep?) I just have so many questions!

March 10: (Me: Addition? You’re learning about addition this week?) Yeah! (Me: What’s two plus two?) A dragon!

April 4: (Me: So we should give your dinosaur a name, Buddy.) Yeah, his name is Riley-bean 2! *I laugh* (Me: Why did you name him that?) Because I wanted to have two Riley-beans!

April 7: (while looking at our wedding album) Mama, you look like Elsa! (Elsa is the queen from Frozen. I’ll take it!)

April 15: (Me: Why don’t you listen to me?) Because I love you! (Me: That doesn’t make any sense.) Well, that’s just the way I am!

April 18: (upon returning home and discovering a surprise overnight guest) (Grandpa: *very loudly* Riley-bean!!!!!) Grandpa, you have to use your inside voice.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!