Babysitting Ethan

Second week of babysitting and this time we went to the Missouri Botanical Gardens. I have lucked out both times babysitting. Last week at the zoo, I found out the Children's Zoo is free from 9am to 10 am and this week I found out that the Gardens are free to St Louis residents. Wahoo!

We started the morning with a quick stop at World's Fair Donuts. Best donuts I have ever had. I would swear on my life they are the best cake donuts in the world. And one of the cheapest places to get donuts. I got two donuts, a coffe, and an orange juice for $2.60! It's just a little shop about a block away from the Botanical Gardens. A lady runs the counter as (I'm assuming,) her husband makes the donuts on a counter behind her. Now usually when I have been there, the lady at the counter is kind of grouchy. You had better know what you want before you get in there. You will not get greeted with a smile if you hem and haw for a milisecond over what kind of donut you want. But today, with a cute baby in my arms, she was all smiles. I will be sure to have Ethan when I go back there.

We lucked out with another beautiful day. We started in the Children's Garden. Ethan loved climbing the robe bridge. I had to hang onto his hands as we climbed down this wobbly, steep, swaying bridge. I thought for sure I was going over the side. And then he wanted to climb back up it, and then back down it. We climbed it for a while. Then we checked out some water funtains and a stream and a waterfall. Ethan loves anything to do with water. He would gleefully run to the edge of ponds and streams while my heart skipped a beat that I was going to have to fish him out. Then we rode down the slide. We stopped at the bottom and I said "wasn't that fun?!" I was answered with a wailing sob. Okay, no more slides.

We climbed some more steps and the bridge a little a few more times and then tried to move on when he discovered a carved wooden boat. We watched as about 5 or 6 girls piled into it and began to pretend to row the boat with their arms. They climbed out then Ethan climbed in and loved it. He wouldn't get out for 20 minutes. Even as many other kids climbed in and out of it, he just sat and watched from his end of the boat. And it was super adorable when I sat with him in it and sang "Row, row, row, Your Boat," he would make rowing motions with his arms like he had seen the girls do and mumble his way through the song. So cute! We finished the boat experience by jumping off the front edge of the boat becasue he had seen an older kid do it earlier.

Then he discovered one of the Champungu sculptures that lookes like little hens. I love the pictures because they look like they are all looking at him. He kept running up and petting them.

We walked around the Gardens to make our way to the Japanese Gardens. Ethan waved at every single person we walked past. We stopped to feed the fish but they seemed to be full because not a lot of them came up as we tried to feed them.

We then started to make our way back to the front of the Gardens because it was close to nap time. We stopped at the fountains in the rose gardens where we watched two kids playing in the water. Ethan would start to run into the fountain but would stop just short of hitting the water and make a quick u-turn. Then the kids started running the U shape of the fountain so Ethan joined in, only a couple feet outside of the water. It was pretty funny.

Ended the day again at the Disney Store. Ethan would not take a nap all day, so I am sure I returned a really grouchy baby to Dad at 4 o clock.