Summer's Best Two Weeks - week two

Previously, we had traipsed all around the Boston area on our days off and I had discovered that if we kept ourselves busy, than we we actually had a fun time.

WEEK TWO Monday

On Monday in the morning, I had an eye doctor appointment at Mass Eye and Ear.  I had been so nervous about having the kids with me, but couldn't cancel the appointment.  So I packed up all of our stuff and we headed out, but THIS time, I brought the iPad and Little G's headphones with us so we could watch the Winnie the Pooh movie (conveniently, exactly an hour long).  Of course, for the first time EVER they were running on time and I was literally done in less than 20 minutes!  So we headed back to the park where we had been on Sunday so that the Ladybug could get out of the stroller and Little G could continue watching his movie.

Little G sits in a beautiful spot on the Charles River...watching an iPad.  I can only imagine what people must have thought who were walking by this scene!

After a while, and oddly, before the movie was even over, Little G decided he was done so we went back to the playground we had visited on Friday with my husband.  My plan was to go to the Frog Pond in the Boston Common and play in the sprinkler park and then head home...but I forgot that in order to get to the Common from where we were, we had to walk past the Swan Boats in the Public Garden.

Little G checks out the Swan Boats and the ducks

And here's where things get a little embarassing.  I generally don't carry cash with me, opting instead to carry my license, ATM card and a credit card in a case along with my phone.  This works really well for me except for times when I happen upon cash-only establishments...such as the Swan Boats.  Because Little G is three, we work very hard to set expectations and thus diminish meltdowns and tantrums.  So we walked up to the Swan Boat kiosk, but I told him (and repeated myself several times) that if they didn't take plastic money than we weren't going to ride on them today.  Of course, since I was saying that out loud, the tourists gathered around all heard me and started offering to pay for our ride.  I was mortified.  Mostly because I felt like a panhandler, but also because these kind people had no idea that we were locals who can enjoy the Swan Boats whenever we want.  But they were all very persistent and then I felt like a Swan Boat Grinch, so I took their offers and we headed onto the Swan Boats!  It was the Lady Bug's first ride and she woke up from her morning nap in my trusty Storchenweige wrap just in time to enjoy it.

Keeping both children safe on the boat while simultaneously taking pictures and getting snacks out of the diaper bag was quite the challenge.

One of the logistics that gave me anxiety each day were potty logistics.  For the most part, we were able to find potties to go to since Little G was mostly potty trained at that time.  However, when he announced to me after the Swan Boats that he had to poop(!) I mildly panicked!  You see, there really isn't anywhere to go for a public bathroom when you are in the Public Garden.  I looked up desperately and saw the Four Seasons gleaming down at me.  So I hauled the kids over and walked inside and explained to the concierge that my son was potty training and could we use the bathroom.  He mentioned that there was a bathroom at the back of the restaurant down the hall and then looked at the Ladybug in the stroller and promptly suggested I take the elevator to the second floor and use the bathroom by the conference rooms since there were lots of steps all throughout the restaurant.

I headed up the elevator and when we got to the bathrooms they were locked!!  Then Little G said rather desperately, "are we going to be at the bathroom's soon?"  I went into action-mommy mode and quickly grabbed the Ladybug out of the stroller and abandoned the stroller at the top of the stairs and ran down the steps and into the restaurant.  At the back, just as he had said, there were bathrooms.  And not just bathrooms, but HUGE separate bathrooms...as in, the picture below is just one stall.  I couldn't hold the Ladybug and help Little G, so I had to put her down.  I decided the bathroom floor at the Four Seasons  was probably MUCH cleaner than the floors in my own home and promptly plopped her down.  Little G pooped.  I took a picture -- because I'm apparently a freak -- and we traipsed out past the lunching ladies and back up the stairs to our stroller - tragedy avoided...just a normal day in the life of super-mom (please tell me you detect the sarcasm)!  When we got home, the kids went down for their naps and I headed to a dentist appointment.

Oh yeah...I instagramed the hell out of this picture - I have no shame.

Tuesday
We did our normal bus, train, splash park, walk, lunch, CSA pick up, bus, home trip, but this time we did it with Little G's friend from school, Twirly Girl, and her mom and baby sister.  When we got home the kids went down for their naps and I headed out to the orthopedist.

Little G works on a puzzle before we head out for the day.

Wednesday
Since we had been out every day, we took a day to stay close to home, this may have also had to do with the fact that it was raining in the morning.  We made forts out of sheets and chairs and eventually left the house to go get Little G's hair cut.  In the afternoon, the kids napped while I headed to physical therapy.

Waiting for our haircut

Thursday
We had big plans for Thursday with our beach friends from the week prior.  We decided to head out to one of the Harbor Islands for a picnic lunch.  One of the great things about Little G's age is that the adventure is all in getting there and isn't just about the destination.  We booked tickets for the Boston Harbor Cruise and after our typical bus to train ride we caught a boat out to George's Island.  We only ended up staying for a little over an hour before we had to get in line to catch the next boat back, but it seriously was an awesome adventure!  After making our way home the kids went down for their naps and I headed to a therapy appointment and then to an event at Boston's FLOR store.

Heading out of Boston Harbor

Little G chases some geese on the island

This is the closest we got to exploring the fort because it was "dark and scary"!

The crew on our way home!  I seriously love my mama friend.

Friday
My sister came to visit her fiance who lives in Maine and she flew into Boston, so they visited with us for a couple of hours in the morning.  Afterwards, Little G and I tackled half of the ginormous basil crop in our garden and made a few batches of pesto to use through the winter.  My husband stayed home from work that day so he stayed with the kids while I headed to physical therapy again.

That's a lotttttta basil!

My helper

Saturday
It was the beginning of the long Labor Day weekend so we headed out to a local playground to check out the sprinklers.  It was a generally low-key day in preparation for the next day, Sunday, which was potentially going to be epic!  But you'll just have to wait to see what happened... (click here to see the next post in this series)

The Ladybug enjoys a slide

Interested in seeing what we pack for a day out like this? Click HERE!