The following story may prove it...
This past Tuesday my friend Karen invited me to join her and her friend Julie for some fun at the pool. They take their kids together all the time & I kept hearing these stories of how much fun they had together, so I thought I'd give it a shot! I had been avoiding the pool this whole summer because it is still one of those things that just always seems to be more work than it's really worth. It breaks my heart that every other mother on the face of the universe enjoys "pool days" with their kids, but I really don't . It's anything but relaxing, and it's usually not much fun when it's all said and done. However...I thought I'd give it a try and hope for the best!
We decided to meet at 1:00, but because I'm a "smart" mom I had my troops dressed in their swimming gear at 10:45. We were packed and ready to go by 11:00 a.m! We had a few stops to make on our way to the pool, but I was confident we would actually be early this time (for those of you that know me that is a rare thing). One of the stops we had to make was at McKenna and Chandler's school. Tuesday was "residency checks" day. So, we headed to the school with our two proofs of residence for a quick "in-and-out" stop...or so I thought.
When the kids saw me pull up to the school they immediately started crying, like I had just pulled some cruel trick on them. "Yeah, thanks mom, tell us we are going swimming...then take us to SCHOOL!" "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO", they screamed! After I told them we were just running in for a QUICK errand, they calmed down and reluctantly followed me to the school office. They were anything but patient because they had "fun" on the brain, and school was just NOT where they wanted to be. After waiting in line for a few minutes I arrived at the front of the line where the school secretary handed me ALL of McKenna's enrollment paperwork to fill out...A-G-A-I-N. I told her I already filled out all the paperwork BACK IN MAY, to which she replied "I know...you will have to fill it out again"! What? Are you kidding me?
So, I headed down the hall to a long line of tables and chairs, with three wound up children, to fill out the same damn paperwork that I had already filled out once before (you know, when I hired a babysitter to watch all my kids so I could fill out said papers). Wonderful!
Some twenty minutes later I was done filling out the papers, but I was dangerously close to a mental break down! I actually threatened the kids with going straight home for naps if they did One. More. Thing! I was already spent, and I still had the whole day ahead of me. With one final threat, I parked them on a bench right outside the office and told them to "WAIT HERE and DON'T MOVE"! With that, I headed into the office to turn in my papers. While I was waiting in line inside the office the FIRE ALARM went off...which sent everyone, but the secretary, into a panic (apparently the wise old secretary knew something I didn't). Before I knew it people were scurrying around and the school maintenance man was frantic to find out what was going on. About this time my four year old son started crying and ran into the office. I hugged him and told him everything was fine and sent him back to the bench to wait. His tears seemed to dry up quickly with that reassurance, which seemed a bit odd to me...hmmmmm. My turn came, and amid the blaring sirens, the secretary gave me McKenna's classroom assignment, and then told me I needed to go over to the OTHER office (across town) to do the same thing for Chandler (because he is in early childhood & they have their own office)! I was thinking, "Um, sure, I'll do that right after I rip out all my toenails with a pair of pliers...because that would seriously be easier for me to voluntarily do at this point". Needless to say, I didn't go to the Early Childhood office next.
Nope! I did however, exit the school just as I saw the school maintenance man discover that the fire alarm lever right above my son's head was the one that had been pulled. You know, the one that sent the entire building into mass hysteria, and had the entire fire department on the way! Yep, that's my Channy! Never a dull moment I tell ya...never a dull moment! But, to be fair, he DID NOT leave the bench where I told him to sit. Next time I'll choose the bench next to the ficus tree ;-).
The drama didn't end there, but I'll not bore you with anymore details. Suffice it to say that I had a rough afternoon. When it was all said and done, I ended up at Karen's house at 1:15, and I think we made it to the pool by 1:45. So, you could say that I was running "on-schedule" that day. At this point in my life I'm about as "on-time" and "dependable" as Southwest Airlines, and Amtrak!
Oh, and the pool....the kids LOVED it!
We'll be going back really soon!
13 comments:
Amber, I really am glad you guys came swimming! After the first 20 minutes of Chandler jumping in the deep end and having to be rescued, putting the life jacket on and the screaming fit - it really went WELL! At least we had a couple hours of peaceful bobbing until the end.
I do hope you guys do it again. We'll just make sure we have Jon too. I had a good time with you guys and I know the kids did too.
I can empathize. Some days it is easier to just stay home, isn't it! Glad that you made it to the pool at least. :-)
Oh Amber, your blogs are so fun to read!!!! It reminds me of my earlier years. Sometimes I get upset with myself when I remember my impatience with my kids when they were younger. Then I read stories like this that bring back a flood of memories and remind me that there was a reason I felt like I was going to pull my hair out while I was raising three boys...and babysitting everyone else's kids!!!!!
Faith-
Hey, thanks for "stopping by"! If anyone knows how tough these summer days can be it would be YOU! Oh, mommy of 4!!
The pool was fun...but it's STILL a lot of work. Any way you cut it, it's just a ton of work to take little kids to the pool. I am happy I got brave enough to take them though. Now, if my son would quit trying to kill himself every time he goes near water I might be able to relax a little more!
Joyce,
I'm glad you enjoy reading my little ramblings on raising my kiddos. I'm not sure how you moms of all boys do/did it! I LOVE my son...but he is a lot of work, that's for sure! Boys just never run low on energy, or dangerous ideas!!!
*Girls never run low on "drama queen" emotional outbursts either-LOL!
Amber-
I am cracking up! No wonder you love those LONG Saturday runs! It sounds like you had a typical day in the world of motherhood ! A stay at home mom is the hardest job out there I think!! Those of us that work outside the home have an escape from it. But then again we miss out on other things as well. I just love your stories and the wonderful captured facial expression on photos! I will be taking my camera with me tomorrow to Springfield. Kissing my baby goodbye as she ventures off to College. Then I will be home alone!! You will have to come visit me with your 3 kids !! :-)
Enjoy your day!
Oh Amber! What would I do without this blog to make me laugh so often?!!! Tell your husband hi for us :) ~Amy
Jodi-
Now you know my secret. :-) Getting some "alone time" really is one of the reasons why I love the LONG runs. Of course, I could have taken up a more relaxing type of hobby to get that alone time...I guess I didn't think that one through very well. But, if I would have picked something else then I wouldn't have met you!
Hi, Amy!
I'm SO HAPPY that you are still checking out my blog! How is Brent's new job? Are you still getting to work from home? Hope you guy's are going good :-)
*I'll tell Jonathan you said "hi". :-)
Amber,
I got here via Joyce. It's so funny to hear other parenting stories. This one is really great...I can relate--although I haven't had a fire alarm pulled yet, I'm sure it's just a matter of time with 2 boys...
Anjelia knocked over an entire clothing rack at Target on Saturday! The sales girl kept huffing as we were frantically helping her get all the clothes off the floor. I thought, "Just you wait, honey, your time is coming!!! Your kids will embarrass you!"
Hi Amy,
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I love having new visitors, especially when they are other mothers who can laugh with me about the trials of motherhood!
Come back any time :-)
Julie-
Target seems to be the one place that my children are GUARENTEED to embarrass me the most! I've had the WORST looks from strangers at Target. In fact, one time I almost let loose on a lady that was staring me down in the checkout line. I could "feel" her dirty looks even though I kept my back turned to her & it was nothing short of an act of God that I didn't give her a piece of my mind-LOL!
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