The family and I ventured to Houston today as our last Spring Break outing. We had already gone to the Waco Zoo and the Blue Bell Factory earlier in the week with success, so we were crossing our fingers for 3 out of 3 great outings with the kids.
We got to the zoo right at 9 am and met our friends there. They nicely camped out in the spot next to them and saved it for us. The weather was perfect, we got in free due to our nice friends again and the animals were out and about. Even though it was pretty crowded, all the people were nice and one guy even gave Greg a quarter back that he had dropped ( I would have kept it). I'm guessing because of the beautiful weather, all the animals were roaming and got some great pictures.
After the zoo we picniced at Hermann Park and even went kite flying afterward. We were SO close to having the perfect day. Then, the "perfect" bubble got popped and things went downhill.
When we were flying kites Nolan ran up to me and said he had to go potty. We powerwalked to the bathrooms, got half-way there and he said he had to be carried (guessing that all extra energy was goinng to holding it). We got into the stall and he began peeing on himself, wetting his clothes and making a pretty puddle on the floor. This was not a big deal...if anyone knows small kids, accidents happen. We get back to the car, get Nolan cleaned up and try to leave.
I've never seen a more crowded parking lot. All the parking lanes are two-way. While walking back to the cars (our friends and us) a guy asks if we are in that lane. We say yes and he follows us slowly as we drag along 2 3-year olds and 2 1-year olds. He is very patient waiting for us and the person behind him pulls around him, cuts him off and asks us if we are leaving. Yes....but that's how lines work...you wait your turn. She backs off a little bit and parks beside the guy waiting patiently, blocking the other lane. Other cars come down the two-way parking lane and see they are blocked, notice that this woman must be crazy and they back up slowly out of the parking lane.
After finally leaving the parking lot, we stop 3 times even before we leave Houston for Nolan to use the restroom. I've never seen some one use the restroom that much. Since we didn't have extra pants (only swimtrunks) he was carried around in his Toy Story underwear (he couldn't wear shoes because he peed on them...eewww). I think we scared a few families by just pulling in to Frazier's pottery on Hwy 6 and letting Nolan just pee on the tire. We don't know what else to do when he's screaming,"I gotta go!!" and there is no gas station in sight.
Finally, Nolan falls asleep about 30 minutes from home. Yay! But then, Mallory cries the rest of the way. She had a good reason because the sun was in her face the WHOLE way home from Houston.
We were 90% there on having the perfect day trip. SO CLOSE! It's like dropping the baton in the last few yards of a relay race. You could probably see the look on my face saying, "NNNOOO!"
But to look at this from a positive view point, 90% is still an A and thank God we didn't have an "F" kind of day. I always remind myself,"It could have been worse" and it definitely could have. The kids were champs 5 out of the 6 hours of being away from home and I will call that a good day!
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