Co-winky-dink? I think not.

As part of my New Year's Resolutions of socializing Natalie and Abigail, I have filled up their social calendar this week. Tuesday we visited the Barnes and Nobles Bookstore at Southpoint for story and craft time. The girls sat quietly and listened to the story about Splat the Cat. Valentine Day hearts were handed out for coloring and Abby did a great job on hers. Natalie was a little distracted and didn't really color much on her picture.

B&N also has a train table and the girls did venture over and play a bit with the trains - even near some other children! which I was pleased with. We stayed quite a while and the girls enjoyed pulling books off the shelves (which I replaced, for the record) and looking through them. When we finally left, they were fascinated with the escalators so we took a quick trip up and down.

Thursday, we didn't get up in time for story time at the library, but we did go to Southpoint Mall for lunch and playing. This was partly because Mommy was really tired and was afraid if she sat on the couch, she would fall asleep. So, after a big bowl of extremely delicious Broccoli and Cheddar soup at Panera Bread, we made our way to the indoor play area. The girls were actually quite excited when they saw where we were going and were much less timid than they have been in the past.

We did have some issues of being willing to climb on things if other children were already there. For instance, Abby kept trying to go up the steps to go down the little slide. Every time another kid would get on the stairs with her, or pop their little heads at the bottom of the slide as if they were going to climb up the slide, Abby would turn and run back down the stairs. It took a while before she finally made it down the slide.

A slight tangent on kids and play areas: seriously, parents, if your kid is keeping another kid from doing something, say going down a slide because your kid is climbing up it, please stop them. If your kid is pushing past all the other kids and not waiting their turn - stop them. If your kid is butting in to something another kid is doing and making that poor little kid cry, STOP THEM. And, if you won't, I will. I have no problems telling your kid to wait their turn or to stop trying to climb up the slide while other kids are trying to go down. If you aren't interested in teaching your child proper playground etiquette, I am more than happy to. End tangent.

After a while, they did much better and were playing and climbing like old pros. They even played next to other children and didn't run off if someone got too close. They really had a great time.

We had more plans to attend a Valentine's Day playgroup and craft time through Triangle Mommies today (Friday). Unfortunately, we couldn't make it. Why? Well, within a few hours of coming home from the mall, Abby started sporting a runny nose. After she went to bed, she started coughing so hard she threw up. This morning, when I went in to get the girls, I found poor little Natalie with her hair all stuck to the snot all over her face. I've spent the day chasing after them with tissues.

The girls haven't been sick in forever. Well, Abby had a weird little stomach thing at Thanksgiving but they haven't had a cold in forever. So, literally hours after hanging out with a bunch of kids, they are both sick. Coincidence - I think not. I'm not actually sure you can pick up a cold in a matter of hours, so I suppose they could have been exposed at the bookstore. Either way, it's way not cool.

So, now I have to wait for them to get well so I can then take them to another play group and wait for them to get sick again. And thus begins the viscous cycle. I can only hope, though, that they continue to eat well enough to hold their weight steady. I hope they build up some immunity - FAST.