City Museum

I have been wanting to take the girls to the City Museum in St. Louis. Today seemed like a good day to do it. We got up, got ready and headed out for a fun filled day. The trip to St. Louis was not so fun. The girls argued and bickered and demanded attention. But we finally made it, three hours later. It took us awhile to find the museum, located in an old shoe factory in downtown St. Louis. I had direction but with 64/40 closed down, we had to detour a bit. You can read the website to know what the museum is about but let me say, it is visually fantastic. Everywhere you look, there is something to feast your eyes on. The museum exhibits are very hands on. There is stuff to touch, crawl on, crawl over, crawl under, climb, slide, swing...and it is really fun for all ages.
We hadn't been there too long when we made our way to Art City. There was a big table with paints and paper for kids to make their masterpieces. Yea, Kevin and I each made a masterpiece too! There was an area for clay design and another for making masks. I had put smocks on the girls so they wouldn't get paint on their clothes. We were finished painting when Kaelyn wanted to go over to the clay table. I nodded yes, and took Kate to the sink to wash her hands. I really can't remember what happened next but soon after, either Kevin or I noticed that Kaelyn was gone. I remembered that she said she was going to the clay area, right next the the paint table. She wasn't there. We looked over in Toddler Town and didn't see her. Kevin started looking all over that floor trying to find her. Kaelyn isn't one to wander off so I was really getting worried. I was trying to look, dragging Kate behind me, trying to pull me in the other direction, where she wanted to go.

Kevin went down to the front desk to get help while I kept looking for Kaelyn. I went back to the clay area several times to look for her but never saw her. I stopped to buy screaming Kate some cotton candy to pacify her when Kevin came back up. He rudely asked why I was having cotton candy at a time like this, which I ignored, knowing he was panicked. He asked me to go down and wait at the front counter with Kate so I did. I got her settled and looked up to see Kevin and Kaelyn walking down the stairs toward us. I took a deep breath and burst into tears. I couldn't stop crying. I remained calm while she was missing but I guess the fear and the relief just had to come out somehow.

I was so scared. The museum is huge...about 600,000 square feet. There were people everywhere and many dark nooks and crannies. I had no idea how we would find her. Kaelyn was in the clay area the whole time. In my panic, I had forgotten that I had put a blue smock on her and kept looking for her red shirt. Being such a smart mom, I dressed both girls in red so I could keep an eye on them in the crowds. With the blue shirt and her back to me, I (we) didn't see her sitting at the clay table.

I was ready to leave right then and there but Kevin talked me into staying and we did have a good time, once I quit crying and my blood pressure returned to normal.




These pictures are from the website as I didn't have batteries for my camera. I am worn out, emotionally and physically!