We started our day walking to breakfast at a local coffee shop (Steampunk) with the girls in matching chewbacca PJs, black hoodies and pink boots, because Zoe wanted what they call a “Babyccino” (which is basically hot chocolate & whipped cream with a chocolate sauce image on top). You’ll see two on the table here:

And one all over the face here:

Then we headed out to a Pumpkin Festival outside the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena. Yes, I am very very very brave / dumb. Let me tell you why:

1. I hate wrangling 2 children
2. I hate wrangling 2 children in a CROWD even more
3. I hate wrangling 2 children in a CROWD surrounded by bouncy houses more than you could ever imagine

We got there 30 minutes after the festival started, so I was sure we’d have less “competition”. Not so. The parking lot was a zoo (and not well marked), and as we parked some distance away, I realized I had no stroller. Here I was again with an Ergo, a purse, a diaper bag and a toddler who is immune to instruction.

We bought tickets and Zoe instantly wanted to find face painting, which we did, followed by glitter tattoos (check) and crafts (coloring & mask making):

The masks were pretty cool. They were that black paper you scratch off with a pointy object to reveal color underneath. Very clever. If I hadn’t sworn off ever hosting a kids party again, I’d give that a whirl.

Up next? Bouncy houses. There were 7 of them in a large section of the field, from two toddler ones (ages 1-3 only, Mickey & Toy Story), to two mid-range ones (ages 3-5, Frozen & Superheroes), to an obstacle course and two huge slides (ages 5+).

Care to remember the ages of my children (2 and 6) then find the overlap above?

Regardless, I hate bouncy houses (I think I mentioned that), but Zoe and Ella were enthralled with all that bouncy heaven that must be amazing given the incredibly long lines for each one. First we let Zoe do the obstacle course, while I carried Ella from one end of the course to the other three times, pointing out Zoe to keep her from whining about being too young to do it herself.

Then I had a pouty Zoe while we stood in line for the Toy Story one (remember, ages 1-3?), but the nice lady up front let Zoe go in anyway, though she was double the age limit. Next we went to the “games of chance” section, also divided by age (“toddlers” and “big kids”). We juggled the games so everyone got a turn, then grabbed a chicken teriyaki bowl and sat on the grass to share it. Ella ate some chicken off the ground. There, I said it.

To wrap it up, we decorated cookies and played for a bit on the playground, then (exhausted) headed home for naps. While the girls napped, I hit the grocery store. Don’t worry, Grandma & Grandpa were home with them, and then I prepped for one of our favorite sitters to come over and watch the kids for a bit then all make a “Halloween Dinner” together when I got home from a pedicure. Yes, a pedicure!!

The kids helped make “Boo-nana Pudding”, watered their new plants, then ran around outside for a while before finally finally finally finally showering and going to bed – after reading their new Halloween books from yesterday.

I am beat.

Multiple times Zoe thanked me for doing all these fun things while Dad was away. She said, “Daddy does that, too, but he also keeps secrets from you.” (Are you reading this, Daddy? The cat is out of the bag.)

Turns out Daddy lost Zoe at the Live Oak Music Festival, and she was scared and crying because she didn’t know our phone number. I now know why she DOES know our phone number, flawlessly, which USED TO impressed me.

The irony ? This text I sent him when she lost her tooth at that same festival:

I can’t wait for you to get home, Dad. And I mean that in oh-so-many ways. Apparently, you’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do… My last hurdle will be getting both children to school tomorrow, on time, with all their requisite and random stuff, then back to work. Something tells me that will seem like a piece of cake.

Single mother, OUT.