zoo time

We had planned on leaving for Texas yesterday to visit family, but the virus forced us to stay home. Annabelle was devastated. She had been counting down the days until she saw her cousins for weeks. She prayed every night that the days until we left would go by quickly. More and more things in her life are being touched by the virus and it makes me really sad. We already had a reservation at a hotel near the airport so we still spent the night there and had a fun weekend.

Every time I stay in a hotel I'm reminded of a hotel story from 2016. We were driving home from my cousin's wedding in Tennessee and spent the night in Virginia. Mom and Annabelle stayed in the car while I checked in and ran to the room to use the bathroom. The handsoap was unwrapped and the wrapper was in the trash can which I thought was odd, but nature called and I didn't time much time to worry about housekeeping not cleaning well. When I opened the door to leave the bathroom, I noticed that the tv had been turned on. I peered around the corner enough to see there were suits laid on the bed. The front desk had given me the key to an already occupied room. I never saw anyone, but the tv went on so someone was in there. I saw my life, and AB's short life, flash before my eyes in the few seconds I stood there frozen. I tried to leave the room as quietly as possible but I couldn't get the door unlocked. I was sure whoever was in the room would, rightly, try to stop the intruder in their room. Finally, I got out and went to the front desk to discuss the issue. The two workers looked at their computer then asked me if I was sure the room was already taken. Yes, I was sure! Clearly, someone was already in there! Did they need to check my blood pressure and pulse to see how worked up I was?! All that to say, I'm always cautious about entering hotel rooms now!

Annabelle loves a good hotel experience as much as I do. She inspects the light switches, the phone and opens all the drawers. We had gotten take out dessert so we sat on the bed sampling and ranking the sweets. We discovered a new show on Netflix called The Repair Shop and she instantly began pretending she was a "toy fixer" and I was her assistant. She was a picky employer and did not pay well.

Sadly she does not enjoy the actual sleeping part of staying at hotels. She didn't fall asleep until after 11 o'clock which means I didn't either. Christopher slept like a log and was not the least bit phased by the conversations that went on in a stage whisper. "Mom, I need the bathroom. Mom, can I have a drink? Mom, I'm so tired. Mom, have you ever eaten a plastic bag?" Sleeping in the same room as your child is a real treat.

The next morning we went to the zoo. We didn't make it to Texas, but we went to see the animals of the African safari and Chinese pandas. 

The zoo was set up with a one-way path with painted yellow lines where it was "appropriate" to stand. I always feel like I have to justify anything we do in public these days which is unfortunate. We understand there's a virus and we are making life changes accordingly. We washed our hands like crazy and wore masks when required, but it was mid-90* and I did not make Annabelle wear a mask the entire time in such heat. A couple had matching black masks that said "6 feet apart" on them which seemed aggressive. The zoo is not a necessity. If you're worried enough that you need to literally spell it out on your mask, maybe you shouldn't go to the zoo. Speaking of heat, I wanted a sweet picture of us but instead, we have forever captured me trying in vain to fan myself and wipe the sweat off my face. What a family heirloom. 

This is significantly better.

I watched Hermione while the others went into the reptile center. Belle Belle is as attached to this doll as she was to Mr. Lion the pacifier as a baby and as she has always been to her Memere blanket. She bought Hermione with her own money and she goes everywhere with us. Much like my work at the repair shop, I was not well paid for babysitting the doll.

I seldom sit in the backseat but I did on the way home and Sesame held my hand as she fell asleep. 

She did the same exact thing on the way home from the hospital.