Main point:
You win some
You lose some
Statistically speaking, it's a matter of science that not all family outings are going to be lovely, enjoyable events. With three children, two of which are just as stubborn as their mother... it's only a matter of time before we chalk one family outing as a "fail."
We've been enjoying our evenings relishing the beautiful sights that Utah has to offer and it's been very successful. Until yesterday. Because we've had such great times together lately, Kday and I decided to venture out to the Tour of Utah first stage in downtown Ogden. Kday enjoyed a nice 113 mile ride while I gathered the children, packed lunches and bags, pottied and diapered everyone and so forth... Noon rolled around and I prepared to load the car and head up to 25th street to meet up with post ride Kday. And we didn't roll out of the garage until 2:09 pm. Two hours and nine minutes of Layla throwing a fit. Kicking, screaming, crying. The boys napped through the majority of it - thank heavens - because who knows what I would have done if she had woken them. A few swear words later and a lot of sweat dripping down my face and hair... we headed north.
Rider's loudness affected Owen a little too much today and while Rider filled the car with ear piercing outbursts, Owen cried and Layla verbally replayed the punishment I had threatened her with. All the way to Ogden. I pulled into the parking stall and wept. I couldn't take Riders 100 decibel screeches any longer, Ohwee's whining and crying and Layla saying, "I cried and screamed at you today mom, so I had to sit in time out." Over and over and over. Kday patted me on the back and promised an afternoon of fun. Before we could even walk one city block from the car the whining ensued as Layla said, "I'm haawwwwt." "I don't want to walk moooooooaaaaaaaawwwwwwwm." I tried with every fiber of my being to hold it together and not turn back and come home. (which might have been a good idea after all)
Three hours later of whining, crying, and sweating, and no naps, spilled crackers, more crying, time outs and more crying (by both me and Layla)... I decided to make the executive decision to cancel our dinner and night out on the town. As Kday dragged a screaming toddler behind me and I pushed the very tired babies to the car, I cried too. And I bit my tongue and held my breath so that I wouldn't do anything I regretted. (like flip out and start screaming in public) I just felt like such a failure and I felt torn between wanting to teach my children that it's not OK to kick and scream and cry to get what they want... and feeling understanding that Layla had missed her nap and was very tired and frustrated and didn't know how to explain that she'd rather just go home and sleep it off. So I walked briskly about ten feet in front of Kday and my screaming 3 year old and once we arrived at the car I climbed in and cried some more. We drove home while I spewed my emotions all over the car until I felt better. Then I felt bad that I was just doing the grown up version of what Layla had been doing in the park. Releasing my fatigue, boredom, and frustrations with tears and whining.... Am I a hypocrite I wondered?
Kday and I salvaged the evening with a happy meal for Layla, two cokes for us and a red box movie date on the couch after the children were in bed... promptly at 6:15 pm. Yes, all three of them needed sleep and ASAP. By 6:21 Layla was sawing logs, mouth opened and body sprawled across her bed. The boys didn't make a peep until 7 this morning and Layla didn't move a muscle until 8:10 this am. That's how tired she was.
Around midnight I wandered up to bed and was welcomed by some chocolates and flowers from Kday. He wanted me to know that he understood and that I wasn't a failure. He's the best.
So, you win some and you lose some and my goal is not to cry over spilled crackers next time. Just head to the car and hope that the statistics stay in our favor of winning more than losing.
