Out and About

I have been been gradually attempting more outings ever since my first trip out with both kids. At this point Ellie and I, with Abram in tow, have done almost everything that we used to do. We’ve gone to the market, gone to the little park, gone to the stores in our neighborhood, and gone to play group. Okay, okay, I cheated a little and took a taxi to play group….but taking the bus or MRT (subway) takes over an hour each way. Somethings gotta give.

I’ve happily discovered that Abram will sleep for a good 3 hours in the sling after his morning feeding around 9am. (This also, once again, makes me so thankful that we don’t need a car and I don’t have to strap him in and out of a car seat every time we go somewhere.) Ellie has no problem with riding in the stroller, as opposed to walking, for errands now. Frankly, she’s just not obedient enough to walk on errands with me.

The last things we had yet to tackle were: public transportation and the big park. (It is officially named Da-an Forest Park. Ellie calls it the “Cow Park” because of the giant cow statues they put up for Chinese New Year. We now call it the Cow Park too.)

Monday night I decided that if Tuesday morning was sunny we would take the bus to the Cow Park. Then, a little bit later Monday night we had a huge downpour. Tuesday morning rolls around, not sunny, but not raining either, and I decide to just go for it. Mental preparedness is half the battle.

The park is….wet. And there are puddles. Lots of puddles. You probably already know where this story is going…

So Ellie starts running up and down hills, chasing butterflies, picking up rocks, and in general, frolicking. Then she spies it. A big puddle. Maybe 4 inches deep. I tell her that she can throw in her rock. It works!!!

She continues frolicking and frolicks through a couple of little puddles that are in her path. The bottom of her pants are a little wet, but I don’t mind little puddles and little splashes.

The “throw in a rock” trick keeps working, but I can tell it’s wearing a little thin. And then…..

Ellie wet her pants. No big deal. I have more pants. I always have more pants, every where we go.

So I decide, “What the heck, just let her go for the big puddles. She’ll have a blast AND it’ll hide her pee spot.”

I turn her loose, and in she goes. Jumping and running and splashing and giggling in a huge mud puddle that comes halfway up to her knees while Taiwanese bystanders look on in horror. I actually saw one lady, jaw dropped open, bodily block her son’s view as they walked by (lest he be tempted to join the fray). Yes, we are indeed perpetuating the Chinese belief that Westerners are barbarians. Ah well.

Ellie had a blast, until she fell completely in. That upset her a little. No worries. It was time to leave anyways. And we had extra pants.