I thought I’d tell you a little bit about our weekend. Sunday was pretty "routine" and Monday was pretty "lazy" (except for going to eat dinner with my aunt, who was in town) but Saturday... Saturday was a packed day, so I'll just go there. This will be the synopsis version of the day.

Iliya woke up about 7:00 and since a friend of mine was coming into town around 9:00, I got up around 7:30 or so and got a shower.

Anyway, my friend (April) ended up getting here right on time, and she played for a little while with Iliya…and then we left, headed nowhere in particular. We figured we’d go to the “duck park” when April suggested that we go to the zoo. So that’s what we did. And it was COOOLD. Fortunately, I’d bundled Iliya up really well, in his ‘boggan and gloves, but I didn’t wear clothes that were quite warm enough! But it was fine. We had a good time anyway, and the animals were VERY active – I guess the cold was nice for them!

We left the zoo, headed toward one of my favorite Japanese restaurants for lunch. April and I were talking away when I glanced back at Iliya and realized he was OUT like a light. We were able to wake him up, and keep him awake for lunch (which, by the way, he ate shrimp like it was going out of style!), and then get him home for a nap.

After I laid him down for a nap, April left so she could get back to Tuscaloosa. And Iliya’s nap was a little more than 2 hours (we really wore him out!!). After he got up, we went to the bank to deposit a check and then to get his haircut (something I’ve been putting off for quite a while, just because of the way he reacts to having his haircut – do you remember reading about his reaction? It’s pitiful – and because I’d been putting it off for a while, boy was he in need of of a trim!)

So we got to the place I take him for haircuts, and I hadn’t counted on the fact that Saturday was the day for all the ladies (of all ages & sizes) to get their hair done…so I was just wondering how long it takes for someone to get their hair done, and how quickly Iliya’s name would come up. As it turned out, they took him right back to a chair and before I could intervene(because, normally, the ONLY way he'll even think about sitting is if he is in my lap), the lady set the booster chair in the beauty shop chair . So I decided to go with it and…




No tears, and he actually smiled! Of COURSE, I hadn’t taken my camera…but he held still, and was REALLY good. The above are a few pics I snapped with my phone.In that last one, he kept saying, “funny hair! funny hair!” Afterward, he kept telling me how BRAVE he was, how “I not cry! I get haircut (like) Daddy! I get a shrupper (sucker)!” (yes, the lady gave him a sucker, and I figured he’d definitely earned it!!)

After the haircut, we went to the pet store and got some dog food & cat food. We also got Gracie a couple of treats. I looked longingly at the beta fish and – remembering the fish Nathan and I had when we were first married – I recalled what a pain they can be, for lots of reasons…and how I could’ve imagined my cat(s) “coercing” a fish out of the tank. So we moved on.

When we got back home, I brought all the stuff in, and then ran back out really fast to finish cleaning out the car. It only took a second, but when I got back to the door, the front door was locked. I couldn’t believe it. I looked through the glass and guess who was looking up at me. Our resident Curious George. And I am quite sure he hadn’t done it on purpose; he loves to push buttons and turn knobs.The thing was, I had no keys, no cell phone, and – at the moment – no one in town that I could call. I kept myself together, though, and after a few minutes of trying to get him to turn the lock (he kept trying to turn the door knob), I finally got him to understand what he was supposed to do. When I got in the door, I dropped everything I had in my hands (which was an armful) and shouted at him to never, EVER do that again. Of course, he immediately started crying really hard, and I felt bad…but then again, I figured maybe this would stick with him. I held him and explained to him why he shouldn’t touch the door lock…because I couldn’t come get him, and I really needed to. If he locks me out, then I can’t get to him. I also think we both learned our lesson with that one…I don’t know if he understood all that, but I believe he got that he’s not to touch the door unless one of us directly tells him to. And I learned that it’s not a good idea to go outside without him unless I have a key with me!

Thus ended our Saturday (after supper, bath, & bedtime). Whew!