What about bob?

A good friend called late Friday afternoon and wanted to know if I was interested in some tickets. Once upon a time, the idea of snagging last-minute free entrance to a concert/theater production/tractor pull … would’ve piqued my interest, but I probably would’ve passed (I’m more of a planner, a plotter, rather than a fly-by-the-seat of her Hanes her ways kinda' gal).

Now, however, give me nearly two years in the trenches of mommyhood, take away one daddy for five days and hallelujah I’m singing your praises all the way to the front row (or row T, as it were).

Last Saturday, free tickets in hand, my friend Lindsay, her cutie patootie 3-year-old, Connor, Cooper (now 21 months) and I made the long pilgrimage from the ’burbs to downtown Dallas for an afternoon showing of Bob the Builder.

Coop and his sudden OBSESSION with Elmo has had me curious as to whether or not he was ready for a live-action, cartoon(ish), $30-plus-per-ticket kind of thing, so I was beyond thrilled to have this opportunity to scope out the situation on someone’s else dime (yee-ha!).

Let me say that my excitement over bob was quickly tempered when I realized—a whopping five minutes into a 90-minute show (plus a 20-minute intermission)—that Coop was in nooooo way ready for “Broadway.”

Sippy cups rolled down the aisle, prompting the ever-attentive usher to scurry after them with a flashlight. Raisins were tossed on the floor, causing shoes to glob together with the floor. Coop crawled up and down (up and down, oh Lord the up and the down) three flights of lobby stairs instead of watching bob, generating beads of sweat and throbbing thighs (hmm, a hot-mama workout in the making?).

But, the few pockets of bob Coop actually sat through were great. I snagged a few pics, helped “blow” the wind turbine into action and the song about recycling took me back to the hand-jive days of Grease—luv it!

Maybe we’ll give ol’ bob another go in another year (or 2, or 12). Until then, it’s all Elmo, all the time, safely tucked behind the TV screen.


Bob and crew working to create a recycling center (or at least that what's I gathered from the 10 minutes we saw).


Lindsay caught me and Coop in a rare moment ... sitting still! Who-hoo!


Coop's favorite part of bob ...


Lindsay and Connor post-show. Before we even left the theater Connor was asking Mom if he could see it again ... aww! So worth it!!!