Choices

It is a rainy day and we have no food in the house. I need to go grocery shopping my second lest favorite chore next to laundry. I had finished work and I was calculating what would be easier, going to the grocery store with three hungry kids or go to a local kid friendly restaurant that has an indoor activity center. I picked the later. I thought, oh the kids can play, and eat and I will wear them out before nap time. That was my first colossal blunder. Two miscalculations. It is the first day of summer vacation and every child in north palm beach county is at this restaurant and secondly it is about to pour buckets. I walk in with my double stroller and three kids. I should of seen it as a sign when an actual disabled person was crossing the street before me with an assistant. He let me go in front of him saying..."You have a worse time of it than me".

When I entered the restaurant there was a wait...The scenario is just getting worse and worse. I try to back out of the restaurant but the freaking huge double stroller is a little too large and there is now a crowned of people behind me who also want to get in. When the kids start to sense that I am departing they start the water works ..So I am literally trapped. Thankfully they know me and my family there so I motion to my favorite waitress and tell her our order on the way to the table hoping to make this quick. While we are waiting for our food, a huge glass of water is spilled on the floor, Chloe falls off of a chair and is screaming bloody murder and Jackson is repeating incessantly, "Mommy can we please play one game." over and over again like his own personal mantra. Hudson is calmly and patiently sitting in his chair eating his food until Chloe starts screaming and then he got scared and started wailing. I then motion again to the waitress and say. "Bring the check and make it to go." She smiled and said "You tried." I thought.... "I am insane."

Why is she writing this..You think. Well, I want to remind myself of this time and remind me of my choices. I was driving home and I told Jackson that I wanted some quite time in the car and he asked why. I told him I was thinking about my choices. As I run into the house with the baby as it starts to pour, I ask Jackson to sit with Hudson, so I can go and get Chloe who has fallen asleep in the car. When I come back in the door I see Jackson and Hudsons sitting together and Hudson gumming something in his mouth. While I was getting Chloe, Jackson helps himself to some fresh baked cookies that where out on the counter. Jackson says, "Mommy I am sharing my oatmeal cookie with Hudson." I scream out loud, "No Buddy that is a choking hazard!" Chloe barely wakes up, I quick throw her in the bed with her shoes still on, and run to get the cookie out of Hudson's mouth. By this time he has managed to gum it down and is smiling from ear to ear. After explaining to Jackson that Hudson can't eat grown up food yet I think to myself "I should of just stayed home and ordered pizza":-)