March 12: Single Dollar Baby

Today was beautiful, at least by March standards.  Sunny, breezy, a bit chilly but still warm enough that you didn't need a heavy winter coat.  Perfect walk in the park weather, and that is exactly what we did.  Henry brought his golf club and ball along so that he might practice his putting.  The dogs ran like crazy and Kitten took it all in while lazing about in her cuddly, bundled up car seat/stroller.  After quality family time in the great outdoors, we headed over to our local Target-plex, where we found the rest of the population of Carlisle.  I had no idea that the most popular warm weather activity was shopping...indoors...with hundreds of other people.

Anywaysies.  We decided that this year, birthday gifts from Henry were going to be chosen/made by the boy himself.  Tomorrow, we'll gather with the Boegel crew to celebrate Aunt Laurie (March 10) & Grandma (March 13), which meant birthday gift buying/making needed to happen pronto!  Enter: The Dollar Store, a preschooler's heaven--tons of aisles jam-packed with cheaply-made plastic doodads and chatchke.

We park in front of the store, and Henry exclaims, "Oh!  I have been here!!  I know this!"  Not uncommon for him to be absolutely overjoyed by such a discovery.  We're going to a place that I have seen before and remember, only good can come of this!  Curious, I asked "When were you here, Hen?"  I had no idea what was about to come next...

Hen:   "I was here when I was a baby, before I was borned." 
Me:   "You were here when you were a baby?  Was I here with you?"
Hen:  "No, not you, mama, just me and doctors, they taked me out.  Here.  At this store."
Me:   "Ok, so you were at this store before you were a baby, and then you were born here and the     doctors took you out and you became a baby??"
Hen (exasperated): "YES, Mommy!  I was BORNED there.  I tell you that."

So I'm left wondering something...something big and "parenty"...something I have not wondered until this point: Oh cuss!  Does this mean that the "When a mommy and daddy love each other very much..." talk is fast approaching???  Can't I just allow my kid to think that babies come from the Dollar Store?  How long can I keep this story going?  A year?  5 years?  Indefinitely?  It's not a bad plan, right?

While I contemplate the issues involved with the sex talk (NOT happening in the near future), I'll leave you with a few photos of the miracle Dollar Store baby painting birthday presents for his Auntie and Grandma.  Hope your weekend was as delightful and, um, interesting, as ours.