Mommy War Story

Ok, so yesterday was a little crazier-than-usual day. And I have a funny story to share. Day started off like this - Owen drawing all over his hands... I should have taken it as an omen....

You look pretty cool, Owen. Lily taught the boys how to draw on themselves yesterday for some game they were all playing (or maybe they were trying to get Owen distracted so he wouldn't mess up their game?) saying that the markers on their hands gave them "power". When he found her markers again today, he was ready to restore his great powers...

SO - usually Wes has Little Big Band rehearsals on Wednesdays, but this week it was yesterday/Thursday. They have a "20th anniversary" concert with the Soundhouse this weekend. So Mel wasn't going down (she usually takes Wes on Wednesdays when she has Lyceum) and Ethan was, but he had a lesson at 4:30, thus leaving at 3:30, and Wesley's rehearsal wasn't until 7:30, and it didn't seem nice to me for us to make him go with Eth and have to wait around for 4 hours. So I said I'd take him and then he and Ethan would come home together. Sounded simple enough. Corey usually likes me to take little kids if I can rather than leave them at home, so I loaded my toddlers into the car - Natalie, Owen, Daniel, and Peter. And Wes. Off we went. As soon as we got on the freeway, Natalie started to panic saying she had to go to the bathroom. Wes would not make it to rehearsal in time if I exited and found a bathroom somewhere. I told her to try to hold it, she screamed saying she was going to poop her pants, and I just kept driving. I figured I'd let her poop her pants - it if wasn't pee, the car would be okay, and I was fine to wash her and her clothes after we got home. So we just kept driving. She stopped panicking and it seemed the crisis had passed. They watched a movie as we drove. We drop off Wes and turn back around to head back home. Then she started to panic again. This time, with us not yet on the freeway and Wes not in a time crunch to get to rehearsal, I was free to find a bathroom for her. I pull into the Fresh Market parking lot. She is ready to go, but I have 3 other kids I need to bring in with us. And since I stopped the car, Peter is awake and crying. And neither Owen or Daniel had shoes on.... I figured we were just going to be in the car the whole time and they didn't need shoes. Umm, so I try to find a cart to put the kids in - the carts are all at the front of the store and I'm parked rather far away. I see a man with a few things in his cart unloading them into his car. I figure I'll use his cart. He took waaaay too long for just having two sacks of purchases. I look around for another cart - no cart... He's done... Instead of waiting for him to push the cart to the cart return, I walk over and tell him I'll use his cart. He gives it to me, yay. I'm in mommy fast mode and get the kids - into the cart, and we hurry to the store. Natalie is holding herself. I ask the first store employee looking person I see "Where's the bathroom?" Down there, door on the left, go up the stairs, then take two lefts. Ugh. Ok, so we hurry over, get the kids out of the cart, in the door, then up the stairs... one left, second left, there it is, hurry in Natalie! Phew, we made it without a potty accident. Now we wait for Princess Elsa to take care of business. Peter is still crying. Owen and Daniel are walking around the gross bathroom. 3 toilets, two of which are clogged, it looks dirty. Owen and Daniel are putting their hands on the floor as they peek under the stall to see what Natalie is doing. Then they try to go over and pat Peter's head to comfort him... NO. Get your dirty little hands away from Peter! Owen's hands still looked dirty from his markers this morning, which didn't wash off well earlier this afternoon.

Daniel is dressed in his coat (from being outside with the kids shoveling snow) and he had topped it off with a Spiderman mask and cape after he came inside.

Elsa didn't mean to take her time, but she took a long time in the opinion of her frazzled mother. I Marco Polo'd it to my family, a short video from the front lines. Finally she's done. There wasn't a sink in this bathroom/breakroom. Outside there was a drinking fountain, but I just figured let's get out of here and back in the car - you're all getting straight in the tub when we get back home anyway. Down the stairs...

I have Owen hold onto the cart this time. Natalie had plastic Elsa slippers and with the bathroom emergency over she was able to walk calmly out back to the car. Peter is still sad.

I didn't feed him though, we just headed home. 30 minutes later the 3 kids were in the tub and I was nursing Peter in our room, the crisis was over, I was home from the war. But this is all a reason why I generally try to avoid leaving the house with a newborn, and especially why I try to avoid taking the little kids without an older kid to help me. Like if or Lily had come, I could have had them wait in the car while I ran Natalie in. Lesson learned. But it makes a good story. When my kids have their hands full with toddlers, I'll share this story and let them know that I get it, I've been there, and they'll make it through those hard funny frazzle moments. Motherhood is worth it. These cute kids are worth it. And someday I hear that I'll miss these days. I probably will.