Whatever it Takes, Cupcake!

Where has all the time gone?! Geez...March flew by quickly! The Short gang has been sooooo busy.

Craig and I did the Cooper River Bridge Run a few weeks ago - what an amazing time we had. I will say that the bridge looks a lot less steep when you are driving up it versus running at a break neck pace [Of course, I would know zip about break neck pace...I was beginning to wonder if I would be better off breaking my neck instead of running] but we finished - 6.2 miles!!! It was an awesome experience [even the mad dash with 30,000 other people for bottles of water and a blueberry bagel at the end] and we are making plans to go again. Craig said that he was no different than the Kenyan that won the race. His logic? He trained for the race and the Kenyan trained for the race. He finished the race and the Kenyan finished the race. "We had the same goals."

The Short children stayed with my parents during this time. My mother [what a saint this woman is people...trust me] also had my neice, Sophie, in her care. On Saturday they ventured out to go shopping at Northlake Mall [Can you say cRaZy NaNa?] for Easter frocks. Of course, I get a call from Molly, asking me to tell Gabe to be nice. He wouldn't talk to me on the phone but his loud sobbing was a good indication that he was not being very nice. [I am good enough to solve problems 200 miles away]

Later that evening, Molly was helping Gabe get ready for bed. She was putting his PJs on and trying to get him to cooperate. She told me he looked up at her and said, "Whatever it takes, Cupcake!" Where does he get this stuff? Seriously....

As we were preparing for our second trip to Charleston in two weeks, Gabe and Emma were getting totally excited. Not about the trip but about riding the Activia Bus. That's right people, the Activia Bus [apparently the KMHS softball team has some digestive issues....] Gabe even sang the Activia commercial when you would ask him how we were getting to Charleston, "On the Activia Bus! Activia!"

The other big deal was staying in a hotel. [As if the poor children don't live in a small enough place] Their first order of business was to jump on the bed and then run in and out of the room. Riding the elevator was always a fight over who got to push the button.

Then there was the continental breakfast. What is it about change that makes children go nutty? Seriously, Emma Katherine had so much food on her plate that she looked as if she'd been starved for a year. Gabe's only concern was getting the cereal out of the turn thingy [for lack of proper terminology] and he insisted on getting the cereal himself [which means I insisted on allowing him to get his own cereal] The second morning, his little fat finger pointed at the small refrigerator, and he told me he needed a "goober of milk." What in the world is a goober of milk? [Don't answer that....] He was pointing at cartons of milk and calling them goobers of milk. At least he knew what he was talking about.

On Wednesday, Short decided to give the softball team a little historical tour of Charleston, starting with the Hunley. Of course, Gabe and Emma loved the shop outside more than the recovered submarine. Gabe did ask some questions at the end of the tour. When the tour guide, who served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, asked if anyone had any questions, Gabe raised his hand. "Can we get inside the Hun-u-wey?" Then, it was on...he was hell on wheels in the gift shop. He tried every toy gun, put on every hat, played with every small toy, and darted everywhere....acting like his daddy of course.

Our next stop was the USS Yorktown. I knew that Gabe and Emma would like this because there is so much to see. The kids decided to hit the submarine first. Gabe was the first one down the hatch. Craig, Molly, and Emma followed. I went last..on purpose. I am extremely claustrophobic. I got to the bottom of the steps, turned the corner, and looked through the first hatch [or hole as I told my dad, who corrected me] and IMMEDIATELY knew I would die in that submarine. I took the steps [I may have levitated, I'm not sure] two at a time, back to sunshine, fresh air, and LIFE. My family eventually made it out of the hatch, on the other end of the sub [And yes, they laughed at me...even Gabe and Emma.]

We went through the Yorktown and Gabe was amazed. He kept asking Craig if he could fly one of the airplanes. I think he made his way through the whole ship in around 20 minutes...we barely got to look at anything really closely. The kid enjoyed it and that is what counts :)

Gabe has decided that he really enjoys using the bathroom in the grass. In fact, everywhere that we go, he asks me if we can just find some grass when he as to pee. Our first night in Charleston with the team was Easter Sunday and we were having some issues finding an open restaurant to eat. While the adults were deciding where to go, the team was sitting on the curb outside of the bus. You guessed it...Gabe pulls down his pants and pees in the grass, right next to the girls. Really?! Only my son...and yes, he christened a few more spots in Charleston before we returned home.

Last night we went on a ghost tour. We debated taking Emma and Gabe for fear they would be really scared. Quite the contrary my friends! We were Mystery, Inc. [Scooby Doo and company for those of you going, "What is that?"] Craig was Fred, Molly was Daphne, Gabe was Scooby, Emma was Velma, Cooper was Shaggy, and I was Scrappy Doo [Does that mean I am loud, obnoxious and annoying? Do not answer that people...] Gabe decided that as long as he was strapped into his stroller that the ghosts could not get him. He was fascinated with the entire experience and Emma was thrilled. Gabe kept asking when we were going to see a ghost and Emma kept swearing that she was seeing ghosts. Fun times...

Craig went to my mom and dad's to stay tonight because he and my dad are going to the Masters tomorrow morning. Tonight, as he was leaving, Gabe said, "Don't worry Daddy, I will take care of Mommy while you are gone." Enough said.

Missy ♥