Carousels...Blueberry Muffins...and Doc McStuffins!

Yesterday I made a fast trip Northeast to see TLC and Little Leighton (LL) for a few hours. (Still not quite ready to spend the night away from My Sweet Hubby…) TLC doesn’t usually tell LL I’m coming until I’m halfway there. As I got out of my car, there she was…standing at her front door with TLC…waving and saying: “Hi, Grammy! Hi, Grammy!” Heaven. Grammy Heaven. TLC had told her we were going to get to do one of her most favourite things ever—ride the Carousel at the Mall. LL was super-psyched!

First, we made a jog by their new home—which is about 12 miles away from the home TLC has lived in with Her Hubby for over 5 ½ years. (Moving will be bittersweet…Sigh…) LL kept saying: “Where’s the Mall?” She knew we’d not gone the “regular” way. She knows the path to the Mall—trust me. She knows every turn.

Once we arrived at the Mall, LL tried to tell her Mama where to park! “Go by The Cheesecake Factory, Mama!” The Cheesecake Factory used to be a place the three of us ate—a lot—prior to LL’s Celiac diagnosis. God love her. She hasn’t totally realized it’s been almost a year since we’ve eaten there. Anyway, TLC convinced her it’d be okay to park in an area they’ve been going to since Christmas. Once we get in the Mall door, we can hear the Carousel music. LL’s little face lights up immediately and she says: “Let’s get Purple Horse, Grammy! Let’s get Purple Horse!” (Sometimes another child has LL’s purple horse. She pouts a teensy bit—mostly she has to hurry and decide on another one and she quickly adjusts her Carousel Attitude!)

We rode the Purple Horse while TLC went to get two Tall Skinny Vanilla Lattes from Starbucks. (One for me—not LL. Wink. Wink.) Then TLC and LL stood in line for LL’s second ride. She had to pick another horse. A tiny tot and her grandmother got to Purple Horse first. Dadgummit.  LL decided to call this new horse “Golden.” You can see why in this picture:

Yes. TLC has as much fun—or more—as Little Leighton!

Before heading back to their casa, we made a fast trip into The Disney Store—where I bought LL a purple “Doc McStuffins Camera Phone.” LL adores Doc! She doesn’t think it’s possible to do the Carousel without going by said Disney store. TLC tried to be tough and tell her we’d go another time. LL wouldn’t have it. (Picture another precious pout.)

After lunch, I watched General Hospital (No. I don’t watch daytime soap operas. But I think it’s kind of fun to see the same characters that were stars thirty—or more—years ago—acting out the same type o’ plots. Good for them!) while LL napped and TLC ran a couple of errands. Two hours later, when LL woke up—she excitedly told me this: “Mama got some YUMMY blueberry muffins, Grammy!” A child that wakes up talking about food? A child with several of my genes. As we headed to the kitchen, she remembered her “Doc” phone. She could push a “light” button and shine pictures of Doc, Lamby and Stuffy on her bedroom wall. This fascinated her. For a few minutes, she completely forgot about her blueberry muffin. I had to work at getting her to the kitchen table for said snack. She let me have ONE bite of the muffin. It was DELICIOUS. UDI’s Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins. Wowzer. Fantastic. (Even if you don’t need to eat gluten-free, I feel confident you’d love these muffins. Unless you’re not a muffin person. If you’re not? We can’t be friends. Sorry.) When I tried to get a second, tiny bite? LL quickly got it out of my fingers and back on her plate. She smiled, though, while she stole it back! I didn’t blame her. I wouldn’t have wanted to share my blueberry muffin, either.

Once TLC got back, she had to scramble to get LL dressed and ready for her Ballet and Tap Class.  (This is LL at her class. She prefers to stand when others are doing as they're asked, i.e. to sit. Bless her rebellious little heart!)

I had to head home. (Insert a few tiny sniffles here...) It was a day of pure perfection. The kind I'll remember for a long time. And treasure.

smooches and ta-ta for now!