Flat Stanley Troubles

The boys are ready to go!

Flat Stanley came to visit this week and wanted a tour around Singapore. I figured since it was for Ben’s friend Anthony then Ben ought to come along, plus I needed someone to hold him in the photos. The weekend would work out best.  I kept him right on the edge of the Command Central desk where I spend most my time at home so I wouldn’t forget.  Saturday came and went and I didn’t think once about it.

 Sunday morning I hopped in the shower thinking through my day and determined I had enough time to make homemade rolls. That would be the perfect treat for dinner tonight, plus Ben had been asking for a few weeks and I had been craving them.  Then it hit me. We hadn’t done Flat Stanley’s tour on Saturday. How could I have forgotten?  Oh well. It was only 8am and we had plenty of time because church didn’t start until 1pm.  I recruited Brian and hatched a plan. We got everyone breakfast and packed lunch to picnic at the sights before church. When everyone was ready to go I reached for Flat Stanley in his place of honor…he was gone.  No wonder I hadn’t remembered on Saturday. He wasn’t there to remind me!

Mom and Maddie at the Merlion enjoying the city skyline.

The hunt began. I rummaged through my perpetual stack of papers. Nothing. (Thanks to Gina that stack is nearing microscopic size when compared to the amount of “stuff” that’s been piled up for the last 15 years of my life. I love her!) Now that I have confirmed I don’t have Flat Stanley, the accusation game may begin. “Who took Flat Stanley?” I holler out at all three kids. Nobody is willing to confess. I press a little harder. Finally Maddie Mae volunteers that she DID take him but of course she didn’t lose him. Chances of that? One in a million. She wanted to make lots of Flat Stanleys and was tracing him. After a bit of unhappy noise rattling through the house from the parental units and the 5 year old artist Flat Stanley was retrieved and we were able to get on our way in the car.

Ben got thirsty and needed a drink in the hot weather.
The Merlion was happy to help out.

The first stop we made downtown was to get pictures of the famous Merlion and the super cool looking Marina Bay Sands. It was H.O.T. and sticky and there was sweat literally dropping off my chin and rolling down my scalp and back. I had dressed for church and had a long skirt. Never again. The kids enjoyed the walk and exploring together since we’d seen it all from far off but never yet taken the time to stop and go to the sites.

Next stop – Sentosa. Boy did we all wish we were in swim suits! The beach looked so incredibly inviting to our overheated bodies and tired feet. We parked and started walking to the spot we had in mind.  There is a sign marking “The Southern Most Point of Continental Asia” which is sort of cool so Flat Stanley needed a picture of that for sure! From the car park it’s about a ten minute walk. As we passed the toilets I asked who needed to use the bathroom, knowing there was nothing out on the little island with the sign. I triple confirmed with EVERYONE. No one needed to pee so off we went.

Flat Stanley enjoys a picnic in the jungle hut on the beach of Sentosa Island.

No sooner had we crossed the suspension bridge than Jacob started dancing. He’s only been accident free for about two weeks and the potty training is still fresh. Knowing urinating in public is a MAJOR no-no I was unsure what to do. He wasn’t going to make it all the way back to the public toilets. I found an abandoned pathway and helped him pee in the bushes watching closely that we were alone. Then we got out our picnic to eat.

Flat Stanley climbing in the jungle near the equator.

Maddie being her regular self was antsy and wiggly. Soon I noticed her walk over to the bushes area where Jacob had been and I saw a full moon. She didn’t! But she did. My five year old had just peed on the path too. Bad news though. She was wearing her Sunday dress, leggings, underwear, socks and her “high heel” Sunday shoes. She pulled her underwear and leggings down and stood straight up and peed.  Her legs were all wet plus her underwear, leggings and socks were soaked.

Maddie and Flat Stanley watching the ocean freighters off the coast of Singapore.

Brian and I ingest and process the current situation, but aren’t exactly sure what to do. We are 45 minutes from home. Home to church is 25 minutes. and church starts in 50 minutes. No possible way to go home and change if we want to be on time. Ugh. We make her strip off everything except the dress and high heel shoes. About this time Jacob is wiggly again. “I feel the poops!” Seriously?!?!?! We can’t do that in the bushes!

Ben and Stanley at the baby Merlion statue.

I’m too fat to grab and run with Jacob to the toilets. Brian gets the job and off they go with Ben tagging along. I bag everything nasty from Maddie up and clean our picnic. We nab the picture of the sign and she carries Flat Stanley to meet the boys at the bathroom. Knowing we don’t have a lot of options, Brian rinses her underwear out and attempts to dry them in the bathroom with an air dryer. Slow, slow process, but she can’t go with a bear bum. She doesn’t sit modestly enough to pull that off yet.

Ready to walk back to the car park. Of course now without socks, Maddie’s shoes are rubbing and hurting her feet. So we wait for the tram ride to spare her some misery. We climb off the tram at the car park and I see an awesome sign. Something about a special deal if you buy an ice cream and a hot dog deep fried in a waffle on a stick. Perfect photo opportunity for our last shot of the day. “Maddie, stand by that sign and hold Flat Stanley for a picture with it.” “Huh? I don’t have him.” “WHAT?!!? Where is he?” “I don’t know.”

Zufelts across from the Merlion.
Look how tiny the people are that are standing next to it!

 At this point I’m ready to blow a gasket. Poor Brian, drenched in sweat like the rest of us ends up running back the tram route to search the toilets and the trash cans in the toilet area while I get the kids buckled and the boys changed into church clothes in the car. He comes back fifteen minutes later empty handed. No Flat Stanley.  Neither one of us has a single nice word to say to that child and when you don’t have anything nice to say we just choose not to say anything at all.

Maddie and Flat Stanley at the Southern Most Point of Continental Asia!



Maddie and Flat Stanley at the Southern Most Point of Continental Asia!

 

We end up at church 20-25 minutes late. Parking lot is full. Sacrament over. Five stinky, sweaty people. Jake and Maddie both asleep in the car and I’m about as ready for a nap as I’ve ever been! Luckily someone pulls out of a parking spot just as I’m about to leave. I reverse, grab their spot and we unload everyone to catch the last half of the service.

Ben and Flat Stanley at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Casino in Singapore.
The three towers hold a boat like structure and have a swimming pool on top!

I got some advice from a few friends after church – learn to use photoshop! We’re prime candidates for all Flat Stanley projects for the next two years. If you know photoshop you don’t have to do that again!

Zufelt kids show Flat Stanley the central business district skyline of Singapore.

Guess what I’m doing tomorrow. Yep. Making a replacement Flat Stanley with the “pattern” Maddie had to hand over that she made from the original. I think I’ll change his shirt though to a Singapore tourist t-shirt. Then it’s in the mail for our dear remade friend to make his March 9 deadline.

Maddie on the suspension bridge at Palawan Beach, Sentosa Island, Singapore.
Heading back from the Southern Most Point of Continental Asia.
This is the last picture we have of our friend before he was lost forever.

**Lucinda – I post this not to make you feel bad, but because I know you will fall off your chair laughing at our Flat Stanley adventure. I’m sure you can picture every piece of it knowing Maddie like you do! Don’t worry, in about two months I’m going to laugh too. Just not until then. And surely her future fiancé will tease her endlessly when he gets the chance to read this.