Riley and Avery

Ah, where to start?

We went to the Downtown Aquarium in Denver yesterday for Riley's birthday fun. She picked where to go, and I think she made a good choice. We got started a little late, starting for Denver around 10:30 (we were shooting for 9am, but well...). It was a little expensive, but not as expensive as the Baltimore Aquarium. I packed a whole backpack full of food and drink, so we didn't have to give the Aquarium any more of our money than was absolutely necessary. Riley requested a sub sandwich for our trip, so I got a huge one for us all to share (and still only managed to eat half of it between the four of us!)

Riley and Avery really enjoyed looking at all the fish. They had an area that simulated a thunderstorm and flash flood. The girls really liked it, and Avery ventured right in front of the plexiglass waiting for the flash flood, and then thought better of it.

Riley and Avery both liked touching the starfish and shark eggs in the touching tank. Avery's favorite part was the hand sanitizer. She's such a girl.



Both of the girls touched the sting rays, and then we realized that you could buy some dead fish to feed the sting rays. So we bought the fish (four of them) and set out to feed the sting rays. Avery grabbed a fish and held onto it for her turn (I now know that she didn't realize that they were real dead fish, because Avery said "real fish swim around, so those weren't real!"). Riley was a little jumpy the first time and dropped the fish in the water. She succeeded the next two times, and I tell you, her fist was completely inside the sting ray's mouth! I mean, completely! Avery fed her fish but got a lot of help from the aquarium lady. Then she got to use the hand sanitizer again. Score for Avery.






By this time Rudi was griping over eating, and once he starts nagging for food, he became totally useless to me. He'd stand at the end of the exhibit waiting for us to come through, while some strange elderly lady picks up Riley to help her look at the exhibits while I carry Avery. Duh. We sat in the cafeteria and blatantly broke the "no outside food or drink" rule, but no one said anything to us. While we were eating, both girls wanted a balloon from the balloon twister lady. They were only a dollar, so we said go ahead. Riley got a purple swan and Avery got a pink mouse. Oh my goodness, does Avery love that mouse! She had eyes only for it for the rest of the trip, and is still playing with it today. I mean, she really digs that mouse!

Then we went to the gift shop and let Riley and Avery spend some of their birthday money. They both went for the rock bin and got (more) rocks. Yay. Riley asked if she could get something else too, and I said "Of course, you have $20 to spend to do whatever you want with." She was so happy!! She got a stuffed animal and a tiger figure and was thrilled with that. Avery got an otter stuffed animal.

We then went to the Tattered Cover bookstore, Rudi's favorite joint. We finally headed out at almost 5pm and hit rush hour traffic pretty hard. We had to stop on the way home for cigars and to pick up Riley's birthday cake. She had picked out a horse cake. It's funny, Riley really didn't understand doing the birthday party a day early. Totally didn't comprehend.

When I told her "happy birthday" this morning, she first checked her teeth to see if any were loose. I don't know where she got the idea that teeth fall out when you're five. I certainly didn't tell her that, since I know sometimes not until six. I hope she gets a loose tooth soon, at least so we don't have to keep discussing it.

Hmmm...what else?

I tried to file my taxes and the IRS said you can't until after the 16th. I don't recall that being the case last year. Bummer.

The VA shorted me on my education benefits. Again. I'm on the phone right now to ask where my money is. This really gets tiring.

Ugh, I can't believe that I am the mother of a 3-year-old and 5-year-old. Talk about feeling old!!


And now, as if worrying about Riley's school next year isn't enough, I don't know what to do with Avery. I had kind of decided to homeschool-ish her, but she really really really likes school and really really really wants to stay at Riley's school when we drop Riley off in the morning. I've always kind of had a hunch that she may be that child who just really likes going to school, but now I am at square one with a different child. I simply don't know what to do. Riley also wants her little sister to attend her school, but Riley will be going to a different school next year and there is just simply no money to enroll Avery this year at Riley's school. Ah, no rest for the weary!!