great day for pictures

today was a great day for pictures, but i didn't have my camera.

i went on a mommy & abby date today. we were headed to the movies, the free movies, which wound up costing me $10 in popcorn and drinks. well worth it for abby's first experience at the theater.

we were running late. stress out opportunity #1. i drove fast, not too fast, just fast enough to get there. :) and about two minutes into our trip there, abby's excitement took away my stress. but yes, i still drove quickly. we made it. got our popcorn, sprites and seats. hip hip hooray!

our dear friends had van issues and couldn't come. disappointment opportunity #2. but when we got there, we "happened" to choose the theater that our new neighborhood friends that we love were sitting in. hip hip hooray for good friends to wait in a theater with!

stress out opportunity #3, one minute into the movie, the scary pirate (in "the pirates who don't do anything--aka veggie tales!) popped up and abby was no longer excited. she was buried into my arms begging to leave. so, we left. she didn't want to try again. i didn't make her.

so what to do for our date? i'm racking my brains. we've got a babysitter for julia and about two hours. spontaneity was never a strong point of mine. so, i asked abby. she wanted to go to the toy store. so off we went. we played and purchased overpriced party favors for her b-day party this weekend. she's happy. i'm happy.

then, we went to the new "store" next door to check it out. it just happened to be one of those places that has huge inflatable obstacle courses and slides. again, entirely overpriced. but no one was there. and she wanted to try it. minutes into our adventure, it was clear that this experience was far better than any movie. she was having the time of her life, climbing, running, squealing and jumping. does life get any better for my energetic little extrovert? i think not.

so although it was not at all the date i had planned, i would count it a smashing success...minus the missing photos.

here's my random question. is chuck e. cheese fun for 3-4 year olds? we haven't been and are trying to decide whether or not to take abby for a special birthday treat.