Help a Brutha Out

So here's the deal:  This weekend Oodgie is breaking out the jaws of life and fleeing the drudgery of stay-at-home parenting to sun herself in South Beach.  For four days she'll be having her temples rubbed by a muscular gay man named Pablo, sipping mojitos and catching up on back issues of US Weekly.

That leaves me at home with Cheeky.  Alone.

When I first agreed to this, I thought it would be a piece of cake.  Leave out a bowl of water and a bowl of graham crackers and she'd feed herself, right?  Oodgie, however, keeps insisting that I should get some "help," as if I'd leave Cheeky in the dryer again or something.  I'm stoopid ignorant stubborn pretty confident in my ability to handle it, though. 

However....

I could use some suggestions on what to do with a 1 year old for four days.  I've already scheduled paintball, so that's a good couple hours of fun for both of us.  There's also an exhibit which I think she'd find most educational, after which we can share beer and nachos.  But there's still lots of time to kill, and since she still hasn't mastered the Xbox controller (let alone her bowels) I'm fishing around for entertainment options.  Any ideas, oh mighty internet?  Especially you New Yorkers...something local would obviously be preferable to the San Diego Zoo....

Comments

[kara]

The kid recommends:
that big ferris wheel in times square, the carousel in central park and the central park zoo. Everyone knows the bronx zoo is better, but CPZ is smaller- a one-year-old won't know the difference. have fun!

[Arwen]

We'll be there Friday..we'll help out. No really, we will be in Plainview (Plainville...I can't remember) Friday until next Thurday.

[Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah]

Hmmm. Do you have TiVo? I'm realy not a very good parent.

The park is good. Do you have any friends with other kids Cheeky's age? You can have a very small playgroup.

Wait - don't you live in New York? You guys have everything. Too bad training camp isn't for about 8 more days.

[MetroDad]

Forget about entertainment. Four days alone with Cheeky is the perfect opportunity to train her for a lifetime of usefulness. Start this weekend! Teach her to crawl and get you beers from the fridge. Show her how to sort the laundry by color. Play fun games like "wash the windows" and "scrub the potty." Trust me. She's only one year old. She'll have a blast!

[misfithausfrau]

I wish I could sound sympathetic, but it's too hard. I am missing my annual Girlie Weekend in Rehobeth Beach this weekendd because my husband is in New Jersey working and not coming home this weekend. Sorry--this post wasn't about me.

Anyway, go back to the aquarium--kids never get bored with that and it's air conditioned. Better yet, go to the neighborhood pet store and let at her look at the animals there--she'll never know the difference.

Ooooor, why don't you let her paint a masterpiece for Oodgie. Get a large canvas (they aren't too expensive) and prop it up against a wall outside your building and let her go to town. I did that last year and put them in fancy gold frames and they hang over our fireplace.

[WestCoastBrother2]

The funny thing is I'm going paintballing this weekend. That's what I would have suggested anyway.

You could take her to watch the Yankees kill my Mariners. Baseball is an American summer pastime that is awesome for dads and kids. Besides......BEERS AND NACHOS!!

[Melissa]

Stay out of the house as much as possible, time moves faster then. Take her swimming and to the zoo or aquarium if there is one around. Swimming is good because then it will make her very tired at night. Two things in one.

MetroDad- don't tell people those things. CPS can get called on your ass, for teaching a one year old to fetch you a beer. Sheesh. :)

[Kristen]

Between providing meals, changing diapers, managing naps (yours and hers), you'll be surprised how little time you have to actually BE out of the house. But all the suggestions so far have been great - and I suggest you only plan one major outing per day. Aquarium one day, park one day, children's museum one day... good luck. I bet Cheeky will love it. I mean, who wouldn't love sharing some nachos and beer with dear old dad?

[WCG]

We always took you kids to the pet store. I still love a "puppy fix". It's less complicated than the zoo. Too bad you don't have a yard to put her in a wading pool. You don't HAVE to take her someplace everyday. Bad habit it get into. She will expect it when she gets older. (Unless you need to get out) I'd tell you what you need, but I promised I wouldn't talk about it again. :-) Good luck.

[landismom]

Dinosaurs are good. Kids love dinosaurs, don't they?

[Mrs. Chicky]

You've already gotten some great suggestions but let me add, again, Get Out of the House as Much as Possible! If you don't, she will own you and make you her bitch. Don't say you weren't warned.