Vive le Week-end Libre!

What’s more fun than a weekend at home, trying to finish unpacking and thinking of all the fun things you could be doing if it would just stop raining outside? I’ll tell you what - an impromptu trip to Quebec City for a visit to the Doctor! Dr. Nik, that is.

I guess it all started Tuesday evening during a dinner conversation that came up unexpectedly. We were enjoying wings and nachos at our new regular establishment when, after a minute or two of quiet reflection, E announced: “The next time I see Dr. Nik I’m going to say I love you Dr. Nik!” So we took a video of her professing her love and sent it to the man himself. Then we fielded a series of questions about why Dr. Nik doesn’t have a baby, and whether he should just go to a store and get one, and E assured us that she would be more than happy to share her ice cream with both Dr. Nik and his baby. From there we got a bit distracted by the ice cream and eventually moved on to other topics.

Fast forward to late Thursday afternoon, when my husband turned to me and asked if I thought we should visit Dr. Nik this weekend. Hm.

Pros:

Dr. Nik rocks

Our-sometimes-difficult-to-entertain-especially-when-we’re-stuck-indoors daughter loves Dr. Nik

Cons:

Dr. Nik lives 5 hours away

Our-sometimes-difficult-to-entertain-especially-when-we’re-stuck-indoors daughter hasn’t done so well with car rides as of late

It was a draw. I decided to use E as a tie-breaker, being ever so clever in my phrasing.

M: Hey babe, do you want to hang out in Ottawa this weekend or in Quebec City?

E: Quebec City!

M: Really? Why?

E: Because Dr. Nik lives there!

Clever indeed. Apparently I had forgotten that I a) must have mentioned that fact to her at some point, and b) my child remembers EVERYTHING.

Decision made. Fingers crossed. Let’s do it.

As I said, I was apprehensive about being locked in a moving vehicle with little miss screamy-pants for such a long period, and I don’t know if it was the promise of what was to come or divine intervention, but she was a dream. She snacked, we chatted, she napped, we played I spy, she snacked some more, we sang the Alphabet song (both the right way and the wrong way) and Hands Up, and all of a sudden we were there. Early.

Nik came down to meet us and off she went, running as fast as her little toddler legs could manage...which is getting to be pretty speedy these days. From then on it has been the E & Nik Show. Look at this, Nik! Carry me, Nik! Can I play with this, Nik? What is that, Nik? Can I wear your robe, Nik? Can I have a brown robe like Nik’s? Hi Nik! HEY! NIIIIIIIK!

This was a good idea.

He's pretty good at telling stories. 

He has excellent taste in Saturday morning programming. 

He makes a mean breakfast sandwich. 

He's always available for a free ride. 

Charming the market-goers. 

First Sucre a la Creme experience. 

And she shared! 

 One of my favourite cheeses that we had to pay good money for

at the market, alongside a pile of flowers that Elle obtained for 

free from smitten onlookers.

He makes an excellent lounge chair.