Opry Mills Indulgence

Josh and I agree that one of the best parts of having kids is getting to be a kid again....except this time no one tells you what to do. :) That said, I don't know which kid got more spoiled today, Noah or Josh.

We decided at the last minute to head over to Opry Mills this afternoon. More specifically we headed to the Build-A-Bear Factory. (Noah's lifelong bear love is Calvin who came from a Build-a-Bear Factory, so we are trying to carry on the tradition with Anna - plus her birthday is coming up.) We are bound and determined to find some sort of lovey for Anna to form an attachment with. We laugh about how she is just a cold-hearted snake of a girl because she has never had a comfort object, blanket, or even a paci - never shown any interest in anything of that nature. She has always rejected or ignored anything we've planted in her path. We don't give up easy though, ergo - the trip to Build-A-Bear. She did actually choose this bunny though when we put it and a bear in front of her.

Of course, on the way home, she threw it down 3 times before I gave up giving it back to her.

Noah helped make the bunny with love and a little trepidation. The sound of the stuffing blower really unnerved him, but he powered through with my help. Regardless, he was fascinated with the process and gave her bunny's heart a hearty kiss before he stuffed it in. :) He vetoed a couple shirt choices for her bunny, as well. Bunny ended up with a "peace, love, hugs" tee.

Of course, we didn't get to the bear factory without passing the carousel first. Noah and Anna both rode it, which means Josh and I both rode it. Josh and I were a little dizzy and queasy when we got off. Then I felt bad that Josh's mom got stuck riding it last May when she was in town. Sorry, Carol! Won't happen again. :)

Then, we gave in and let Noah ride the little train that makes its rounds around the mall. Josh rode with him because we were just not comfortable with letting Noah out of our sight for that long, train or no train. Josh did admit to a slight case of embarrassment at having been a part of the spectacle of that train weaving in and out of foot traffic in the mall.

As if that wasn't enough, Josh took Noah back to some crazy candy kiosk they passed on their train ride. And all I know is I walked off with Anna and by the time I came back they had dropped almost $13 on a pound of gooey, chewy candy!

Noah kept eating and asking for more "giant snakes" on the way home. They were gummy worms, but I didn't correct him. I just giggled from the front seat and passed back the snakes. I did give him a countdown of 3 though. In the end it didn't matter, because when we got home the ice cream man was making his rounds...

Those are both my boys watching the leaves fall whilst they eat some more sugar before bedtime. Those bad boys are called Cherry Bomb Pop Juniors, I am told. I wouldn't know firsthand because I was upstairs putting a pooped out Anna to bed early after a banana and some more milk. And for your information, I think she was pleasantly surprised to be reunited with Bunny in her crib. Or maybe that was me.