a guide to free/&/or cheap activities you can do if your toddler drops one nap and is driving you crazy

Annikah is transitioning between two naps and one and by transition I mean making our lives as miserable as possible by instead of taking two blissful at least one hour naps she now takes one maybe 40 minute nap (we are hoping this will get better soon).

As you can imagine trying to keep her entertained in our place has become a challenge.
Of course if it was summer this list would consist of one suggestion: go outside but since freezing rain and general misery abound outdoors here is a brief list of things we did this weekend out of desperation to keep Anni amused and us sane.

*torture cat by chasing her with remote control car (Jason thought this one up and Anni belly laughs)

*go to Target and ride sample bikes around until joy kill worker tells you to stop (Anni prefers the little tricycle while Mama likes the mountain bike)

*watch train set go around Christmas tree 20 times

*venture to Kohl’s Children’s Museum which was free for us (thanks Mom!) and chase Anni in and out of every room there.

*spend Jason’s per Diem (read here NOT OUR MONEY) on trip to Starbucks for peppermint mocha’s and again Anni runs amok entertaining the guests, she even earned the title “junior Barista” to which I replied “does that mean we get a discount?”

*read every book in the house at least 3 times, sometimes in bizarre accents, sometimes singing..

*take bus downtown to look at lights and wonder around Water Tower place (not a very kid friendly mall but here is what we did: ride escalator up and down 389 times, ride elevator all the way to the top,
allow Anni to touch every “ball” in Christmas displays and generally run amok through stores, then take L home

*note: taking public transportation with toddler is NOT recommended!!

So, maybe these ideas will inspire you or make you stay indoors and laugh at us. Either way that is a sampling of our weekend and we welcome tips on remaining sane through the winter!