Sometimes I think I forget that I have as many children as I do. Maybe it's not that. Sometimes I forget that I have a couple that are as young as they are.
For so long, I had just Emily and Kaleb, and life was simple. I had a 5 and 3 year old. We could try to do quite a bit. Sometimes I think I still can.
Like yesterday...
Emily and Greg are gone on their semi-annual father/daughter Indian Princess campout. Usually on these weekends, I am in survival mode. Recent inspiration (I'll share...maybe next post...) encouraged me to really enjoy the other kids and spoil them a bit this time around. I may have also been driven by the fact that tomorrow I leave to spend two days alone with Greg in Washington, DC...alone...alone...alone...something we haven't done in the year since Levi was born.
Anyway, I spent the evening taking a beaming six-year old Kaleb all over town, watching him light up at each surprise stop. He made me promise not to tell what we were doing; he wanted to be surprised. It was SO cute! We started at the gym. Mommy needed a little cardio and they just love the Kidzone, for whatever reason. We went to Cici's pizza. What is it about that place that kids love so much? Avery and Levi were as good as I could ever expect them to be...the place was mobbed and even I felt overstimulated. Kaleb was allowed 3 desserts.
We went to the grocery store to buy a car he's had his eye on. Doesn't sound all that excited but he was overjoyed.
Then we went to the new Regal Theater that opened up this week, just down the road from our house. They had men in tuxedos and cheerleaders welcoming people at the door. Balloons everywhere. Free popcorn and soda. Kaleb didn't know what to do with himself. We stood in our place in the concessions line, ten people from the register. This is where the fun began. Levi was in the umbrella stroller, and started to lose his patience. It was his bedtime when we got there and he wanted everyone to know it. Avery started trying to push him around. This is about when I started getting the pity looks. I was oblivious to the fact that this task may seem impossible for a bulging-bellied woman, her six year old, two year old, and almost one year old.
We finally made our way into the theater. Monsters vs. Aliens, here we come...Oh, and by the way, Avery has these weird phobias, like little jumping dogs, bugs, and...loud noises. They must have had the volume to the max. She started freaking out. The theater was small. It seemed like we were three feet from the giant screen and blasting speakers. Oh boy.
I spent the first hour of the film consoling Avery, whose screams eventually subsided to every two to three minutes. She was on one leg, insisting that I keep one arm tightly around her. My other leg and arm was busy with Levi, who decided he loved the movie and loved climbing all over me during it. We all went to the bathroom halfway through. One glace in the mirror showed me that I looked how I felt. My ponytail was just about on the side of my head.
We reentered the theater. Avery sat in the stroller and sucked her thumb. Levi fell asleep on my lap. Ten minutes of peace and the movie was over.
I can't believe it didn't send me into labor.
Kaleb said it was the best night ever.
Thank God...
2 comments:
LOL I remmeber having a few experiences like that myself - grocery store or movie theatre - they were trips with young kids while being pregnant, thinking "I can do it", then getting halfway through and realizing that I may not come out of the trip in one whole neat piece. :)
You are SO funny! And I remember thinking you'd change so much after just having one kid, when Emily was born. These are the stories that make me so glad you're still the same Heather in many ways!
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