This year, for the Fourth of July, we went to the Gap.
Yes, that's all we could manage. I've had a cold, and, even though I try to convince myself every day that I'm better, I keep getting worse, until yesterday I completely collapsed. This afternoon I pulled myself together long enough to accompany the family on a trip to the Gap to make a return and check out the sale. Two bad things happened which were actually good things.
The first is that Mary puked. Not just a spit-up--but a full-on, empty-the-contents-of-your-stomach, puke-your-guts-out, smelly explosion of vomit. She hasn't been feeling too great either. But she felt much better after she threw up--that's why it was a good thing.
The second is that David had to pee and he was wearing nothing under his shorts but his thin little undies. At this point I had taken Mary to the car to change her out of her vomit-soaked clothes, and Greg had the pleasure of David's company in the fitting room. Just as Greg took off his clothes, David looked at him and said, "Pee-pee." This was an amazingly wonderful thing because David has never ever before told us that he needs to pee. Sure, he goes most days without accidents, but Greg and I get the credit for that since we drag him into the bathroom so often. I was near the verge of declaring failure with the potty training business because, even though he obviously has bladder control, he did not seem to fathom the idea that he should/could tell us when he had to pee. (But at least it's no longer a celebration when he pees on the floor--it was a little demoralizing when he would shout for joy at the prospect of getting to help me clean up his pee off the carpet.) So there he was, trapped in a fitting room at the Gap with his half-naked dad, and he said it, "Pee-pee." Greg threw on his shirt quicker than you can shake a stick, scooped up his son, and sprinted through the mall with his long runner's strides towards the family restroom. And they made it! Hooray! So that's why that was a good thing.
So no church picnic (I felt too crummy), no fireworks (David chickened out), not even some sunshine (it's been rainy today). But we do have a little girl who is feeling a little better and some progress in the potty arena. And a shopping bag from the Gap.
[Truthfully, the really exciting thing about the 4th this year is our new computer, which Greg set up this morning. Greg and I are very good at keeping computers on life-support for way too long. This is the first new computer we've ever bought as a couple! It's super fast--almost as fast as Greg in the mall today. This is my first post from our new computer! May the new computer treat me well...or you may stop hearing from me.]
