Mother's Day in Santa Land

[Edit: I drafted this post a while ago - on May 14, apparently, but didn't actually remember to post it until later. So you're not crazy. I'm just a doofus.]

My first Mother's Day. That's what the rest of the world would consider it. If I'm being honest, though, I have enjoyed MDs for the last several years... every since Bowden (and then Simon) joined the family. But this year is different since I have canine and human children to celebrate. And since we were still in Waynesville for this MD, I didn't actually see Bowden and Simon at all. Which was harder than I thought it would be. (Stop making fun of me. I really like my dogs, ok?)

I think the thing that made me most feel like a mom is that before we left town, I had to get a new swimsuit. (My leftover-from-college tankini is pretty much dryrotted and barely survived the pregnancy.) I probably should have given up belly-baring swimsuits years ago (like, after the freshman 30)... but I didn't. But post-Nathan, I think I would truly frighten people if I exposed them to the mass of skin and stretch marks that is my postpartum tummy. (Can I call it postpartum if it's been ten months? Let's go with yes.)
So anyhoo I went to Kohl's before our vacation in search of a cute one-piece that was somewhere between a fat-girl suit and a string bikini. Know what I ended up with? The Mom Suit. It might not look like it on this model, but I assure you it's a Mom Suit. [Sigh.] I feel so old. What's happened to me??

In other my-world-is-officially-upside-down news, I found myself yesterday at a place called Santa's Land. No, it's not in the North Pole. It's not a special shopping center open only in December. Apparently the natives from Cherokee, NC thought the best way to bring tourists to their reserve and share their culture is an playground/zoo/magic show/amusement park for toddlers. (Earlier in the week, Mark had been laughing at a billboard for it, wondering what in the world it could possibly be, and who in the world would want to go there. Ironic, no?) Mark's friend Jeff suggested we take all the kids there to burn some energy... so we rolled our eyes, packed them up, and let me tell you something... it was awesome.

Aside from the constant Christmas carols in the background (which I actually liked, but could be potentially annoying for some), the mostly-creepy magician (who was also the person in charge of feeding the bears), and the cash-only snack bar, this place is pretty perfect if you have four kids under the age of three. Nathan was a bit young for a lot of the stuff, but he did ride his first merry-go-round, and had fun on the slide. They had baby versions of roller coasters, car and boat rides, and a ferris wheel big enough for our whole family to ride together. They have an eclectic collection of animals (mostly ones you can pet or get very close to in their cages) and lots of playground equipment, too. All with a Santa theme (though I'm still not sure why that's necessary... a Cherokee theme would be much prettier and more educational... and relevant). I know the whole thing sounds insane, and I probably would have said the same thing a year ago (actually I said it last week)... which just goes to show how much your life changes with a kid. Diapers, nursing, sleeplessness, car seats, baby songs... all those are easy mental shifts. Santa's Land is the official indicator that you've fallen off the deep end.

Happy Mother's Day to me!

(For more pictures of our Santa's Land adventure, click on Nathan and his safari hat, below.)

by mgoetts