The Adventures of the ChickFilA Cow (The Mother’s Day Gift That Kept On Giving)

It was Mother’s Day morning and we were preparing to leave our thee-year-old son with my in-laws so that my husband and I could take our first kid-free vacation since before he was born.

Ezra was aware of the day, “Mommy Thank You Day” as he called it (Daniel Tiger fans will understand this) – but Daddy reminded him that he should do something special for Mommy since it was Mommy Thank You Day.

Ezra said, “Oh, I know!” and ran off to his bedroom in a hurry.

He came back with his hand behind his back and then in a flurry of drama pulled out a gift and said, “SURPRISE!!!!”

It was Cow – his favorite stuffed animal.

Now, let me tell you where Cow’s story begins.

Once upon a time, I took Ezra to ChickFilA and met a friend there for lunch. We ate and then Ezra went off to play in the play area (which I was sitting RIGHT next to). I engrossed myself in adult conversation, until a restaurant associate came up to me with Ezra and Cow in tow and said this:

“I found him wandering around the store looking for his mommy – so I gave him this cow.”

Somehow Ezra had gotten out of the enclosed play area without my noticing – not my proudest mothering moment.

But the thing about the ChickFilA Cow is that Ezra just adores him (or her – as just this week we were at a store that had a chickA cow with a bow in her hair). Whenever Cow comes out, Ezra will literally follow Cow around the store, hugging and kissing on Cow at every turn. Like, it’s almost stalkerish.

So, to have his own Cow…that was pretty neat.

Now, Ezra still isn’t a huge stuffed animal person and it’s not like he’s gotten so attached to this thing that he takes it everywhere or sleeps with it every night, but there are some nights he asks for Cow and he loves it when Daddy tells him “Cow stories” about all of Cows adventure. So, in that sense, Cow is definitely his favorite.

So when Ezra gave me Cow for Mother’s Day – that was A BIG DEAL.

At the time, I was sitting on the computer reading Honest Toddler’s Mother’s Day Post – so I was already doomed to be a pile of mush…

But it was this big moment when I felt like the most loved mommy in the whole universe.

Which made me second guess leaving him for the next three days to run away with my husband.

Then, my husband (who can I just say is pretty much a genius) had a genius idea. He told Ezra that we were going to take Cow on our trip with us so that he could have all sorts of adventures. And that we would take pictures of Cow so that he could look at them when he got back.

Ezra’s response:

“WOW!!! That’s GREAT!!!!!!”

So, without further ado…

THE ADVENTURES OF THE CHICK FIL A COW

Hello. I’m Cow. I haz advenchurs.

Carseetz ar for boyz, not cowz:

Cow pumpz gas:

Cool carz at Luvs Travul Plaza:

Pink carz r for gurlz, not cowz:

Root beerz is gud. So iz frize.

Cow like see animalz.

Buj-jeez were coolest.

Appul-a-shun trail. Gud for cowz:

YIKEZ! BAREZ!!!!!!

Dis man cra-zee. Cow not made for hites:

Cow makez diskuveree:

Sholldr rides can be danjerus for Cowz:

Bed and brek-fust. Cumfy bed. Ah…:

Seen-ick over-look:

In my elem-entz at ChickFilA. Eat mor chickin!

Cow needz caf-eene on tripz:

Cool stop to see truckz:

Pocketz are cufmy too:

Cool stor:

Dey haz bookz on chickinz. EAT MOR CHICKIN!

Groshury shopz is boreeng for cowz:

But dey letz me driiv:

Fancee shmancee din-ur. Not chickin. Stillz yum:

Drinkz on da houze:

Made frenz. Herman. Dussurt on da houze:

Bus ridez r cool:

Harpurz Fa-ree:

Finaleez! Me timez:

Lovez fello cows. EAT MOR CHICKIN!

Brekfast:

Mor frenz:

BEST ADVENCHUR EVR. EAT MORE CHICKIN!

____

In all seriousness, taking Cow with us on our vacation totally made the trip. It kept Ezra in our minds while still allowing us to have fun, stimulate our creativity, and connect as a couple. It was also a great conversation starter with people we met (the waitresses and staff at Magnolia’s on the Mill REALLY got into the role-playing with us and we had a blast of a date night).

For more pictures of Cow and to see more specifically (in non-Cow-speak) all of the places we went, check out my prior post about our trip.