I was at the check out line at Wal-Mart today (imagine that) when my phone rang. It was Kyle telling me to meet him at the food court at the mall. He and the boys were at Scheel's buying golf stuff (also imagine that!), and they were going to get something to eat.
A voice in the back of my head said "Are you kidding me? The mall with these boys?" But, I met up with them there, and then the fun began.
First off, both boys are exhausted! Neither got a nap over 1/2 hour yesterday, and both were up before 6:30 this morning. Tyler has golfed the past 3 days in a row, and Connor would not go to sleep until almost 8pm last night - which was WAY too late for him with that short of a nap!
We knew our life would change after having kids. Of course - you now have a kid. We just were not prepared with how much it would change. Going out to eat is definitely a thing of the past with the kids. It's just not fun. Even the food court is challenging.
Tyler will actually sit now, for short periods of time. Connor will only sit if restrained, or so freaking hungry that he will eat whatever is set in front of him. That's what we had today - a confining high chair and a kid that couldn't open his mouth wide enough to shove the food in.
Kyle and Tyler got their Chicken Teriyaki that they always get. Today, Connor and I got Subway. I literally had to bear hug him while standing in line to keep him from crawling over the counter. His shoe fell off, and he accidentally ripped my glasses off my face. By the time we sat down to eat, I was sweating.
After eating, which lasted about 3 minutes, we got up to leave. I had Connor in my left arm, and some trash in my right arm. It was all I could do to keep him from flipping himself on to the floor, while he screamed "airplane, airplane!", and pointed at the picture of the airplane on the ceiling. Kyle and Tyler left in his car, I was taking Connor in mine.
I decided an ice cream cone would be fun. Connor loves ice cream, and okay, I do too! One thing I forgot to take into account was that I was carrying a 35 pound almost 2 year old in my arm too. Have you tried to put a kid into a carseat with one arm? Yea, it doesn't work too well.
We keep trying these outings, maybe hoping that someday things will be back to "normal". But you know what, things won't be back to normal ever. We're the new us. We're the 4 of us, that used to be 2. And although it's difficult sometimes, and frustrating sometimes, we just take it all in stride. Sometimes it makes me laugh so hard, it's all worth it!
2 comments:
OMG, I know. I keep trying too. Usually after he's been really sweet and I think, "You know what? It won't be that bad this time. See? He's been cooperative for a whole hour! We're good!" And then I drag him in the door kicking and screaming, sweating and angry, an hour later and wonder when the hell I'll realize that some things we Just. Don't. Do.
It sucks, doesn't it? I just keep hoping for that switch to flip on his 5th birthday. I've heard about it. But that may have been in a fairytale. Or from people whose definition of a "spirited child" is one who insists on doing everything themselves. Hell, that's not spirited. I WISH mine would do more things himself. And I don't mean waking up in the morning before I do, scaling the fridge, and helping himself to the candy I had hidden in the cupboard above it and forgotten about.
I'll hold you if you'll hold me. I don't know if we're going to survive.
this is why I never take my kids anywhere.
I have enough trouble keeping them contained at home, if I took them both to the mall that would be the last I saw of Kat.
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