Olive and I had a great adventure last week in her costume, which I still need to blog about. So I expected some fun today, too.
We started our morning by driving Tyler to work. We were going to stop by the farmer's market, too, but didn't have enough time for that. We did have enough time to sit in the parking lot at the library and clean the windows, though. I'm cramming in some cleaning before baby.. ha.
When it was our usual meeting time to meet Amber and Ethan at Dunn Bros, we tossed on Olive's bear suit and headed into the library. It turns out they were running behind so we stopped in the library to return our books before enjoying our weekly smoothie juice box and coffee. We do this every week and the barista rang us up today without asking what we wanted - we're regulars with really regular choices.. ha!
Near the end of the time in the coffee shop Olive said she was hot and took off her costume. I was a little sad. So she spent all of story time costume-less while surrounded by the costume-ed. Oh well. We were told that there were two places within the library to go trick-or-treating, so on a trip to the little kid potty I told Olive she had to have her costume on to do that. We took off her shirt so she wouldn't be so warm.
After a little trick or treating adventure we enjoyed some regular library fun.
Olive explored her new black play-doh.
Ethan enjoyed a story on the computer.
Olive tried to dump her new black play-doh out of it's container.
Olive and Ethan thought we were weird for wanting to photograph them together. And someone exited the little kid bathroom.
Olive smiled.
And then lounged on a table.
She then played in the play kitchen and did a few other things, as usual, but dressed like a bear.
We went out to the car with our new library books and tried to figure out what to do next. I had a list of Halloween activities but many toddler specific ones were just about ending. I read that those dressed in costume could go to the landscape arboretum for free.. but I would still cost $12 and it wasn't really close. So I called Como Zoo who didn't have any Halloween activities today.. which seemed odd.. but it was nearby so we went anyways.
But not in costume.
We started out in the tropical room.. which always fogs up lenses.
Then we stopped in the cafe for a cup of fruit and a giant plate of waffle fries. After that we braved the chilly weather and puddles and made our way to the primate house. Olive basically ran through the entire thing so I didn't take any photos. Each of the enclosures had Halloween decorations or plastic pumpkin buckets in them.
I told Olive to pick one more building to go in. I was cold and a little tired of chasing her around. So we went into the aquatics building. She was so excited to see "the seal show!!!" while running outside.. but I had to tell her that they don't do that show when it's chilly outside, that's just the same spot that they do it in the summer. She was a little disappointed to see all of the outdoor areas empty and anything that once had water.. drained of water.
So into the aquatics building we went. We were all alone.
I rarely see the penguins swimming. Usually they're just sitting on the fake rocks looking really depressed.
Olive watched a film about ocean conservation and NOAA. And then ran up and down the stairs repeatedly.
These guys were extra friendly today. I don't blame them. No big crowds of kids hitting their window and making weird faces. And I assume they get bored with their like.... bathtub they have to swim in. So the occasionally friendly face must be nice. Poor guys.
Olive said "Hi, what's your name?"
Olive enjoyed the hand dryer before we left....
Then we went home. Olive was a little grumpy. She ended up falling asleep at home. Our evening plans were up in the air since she was being a grump. I was hoping that a short nap would perk her up. She woke up a little grumpy still but sounded interested in picking Tyler up from work. But requested that I carry her to the car. So we picked up Tyler and decided to take our little bear to the Mall of America for a big indoor trick or treating thing. She was still grumpy. But it went alright.
I parked as high as I could so she could see the airplanes taking off. She was extremely excited.
The mall was packed. Everyone was walking around and looking for people with candy dishes standing outside of stores.. and then lines would form. A few places were giving out things like stickers that advertise their store... cool.
We found our way into build a bear. Olive pretended to be doing something important.
We headed into Nickelodeon Universe for one ride before figuring out what to do for dinner. Did you know if you're one ticket short you can still go on a ride? And I somehow keep getting free tickets every time I go into a store and ask for one or two. So Olive got to ride the truck ride for free. She appeared to be having a really really really great time.
And then we ate dinner. After we walked up to the third floor. Then I went to get the car and I walked up to the fifth floor. And then warmed up the car for my family. And then we got gas. And then it rained. So we haven't had any trick or treaters since we've been home. Too bad... more yummy IKEA chocolate for me. ;)
Speaking of chocolate.. my plan for Olive's loot from today is this:
She gets to pick out one thing she can eat tomorrow and everything else is given away.
But the one thing must not be something brightly colored with fake colors. But.. surprise.. that's all she got. So I'm going to toss in some of our IKEA candy so she has something to pick.
She probably got less than 10 pieces of candy today.. and I know she wouldn't enjoy a lot of them anyway - things like sour patch stuff and really hard candy. But we talk a lot about fake sugar vs natural sugar and fake colors vs natural colors... so I don't want to fall back on the things I've said.. ya know?
Hope you had a good Halloween. :)
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