the bean gets a job

last week, MIL and i took a nice drive down to irvine to watch the bean in action here:

we were actually supposed to meet my friend mommybelle, LP and LFM there, but she ended up having to cancel.  she's expecting their third later this summer, and the doc put her on temporary bedrest until test results came back on whether or not she's got preeclampsia.  i'm not sure what the verdict was yet, but maybe you can send some good vibes her way.  bedrest for the next few months would NOT be a good thing.

anyway, we paid the $10 per person admission (i was totally bummed at having to pay for adults as well as the kids, but it is a nonprofit after all) and followed the bean through the gate.

it was quite an elaborate setup - miniature versions of a real city, complete with accessories and costumes, even.  it was super cute, and she was really excited to go through it all and check it out.

first:

a handful of the spots had this little station, where they could "clock in" and earn a paycheck:

totally cute.  and when the paycheck was complete, it got inserted into this:

she had a blast.  

when she didn't want to cook anymore, she took my order.

next, a little "fishing."

she got to be a nurse, a doctor, and a dentist.

even the restrooms were fully equipped for the little ones.

emergency services:

i was amused at this - she's obviously been watching us very closely.

and this:

welcome to the OC, bitches.

she said "look, i'm fixing things like daddy!"  heh.

in the little "home." she's also been watching MIL closely, because she sure didn't learn this from me.

she is such a ham.  she made up this song - it has one line - and she sang it over and over, and really loudly.  "when i'm really happy...when i'm really happy...when i'm realllllllyyyyy haaaappppppyyyyyy!"  she never did say what happens.  and she'd switch it up from "happy" to "sad," complete with facial expressions.

we would clap, and she would take a bow.

in the café, we found vending machines and sandwiches brought in from a local shop.

farm.

she really liked getting to do some "grocery shopping."

a second time at the restaurant filled her timecard and earned her some cash.

more fun.

since it was fat tuesday, they were doing mardi gras masks in the art center, as well as some play-doh time.

we'd arrived a little before 1:00, and managed to shut the place down at 5:00.  they'd found a great way to get the kids out easily - musical instruments came out, they all lined up, and had a parade.  they trooped through each of the play stations and wound around until they reached the exit.  pretty smart.

phew.  she was worn out, but we made her sit through dinner at the nearby irvine spectrum first.  i'd had the forethought to bring her pajamas, which we changed her into before heading home.  and thank goodness, because we didn't even get to the freeway before she passed the eff out.

good times.