I’m feeling kind of random today. It’s been a long day, and I’m just waiting to hear the girls settle in for the night. I’ve tucked them both in bed, but every now and then, Pumpkin whines or yells to me, “Mama, UP!” and The Princess wanders in the office asking for a glass of water or if I’ll lay down with her. Hubby is at his weekly softball game, and so I’m the sole cruise director on this ship tonight.
It’s been a long day. Today, The Princess had her well child check so she could get her shots and an updated immunization record so I could enroll her in kindergarten. Now, I knew she was due for shots. I did. But. I didn’t tell her. I didn’t even MENTION the word “shots” until we got to the doctor’s office and I said, “You might need some…” She instantly panicked – especially when “some” turned out to be “three”. Two pokes in her right leg, one in her left. She started screaming as soon as the nurses swabbed her leg with the alcohol wipe. She was sitting on my lap and I had her arms held down and her legs trapped between mine. Gruesome. And as the nurses were giving her shots, I could feel her warm tears falling on my arm.
BUT.
I didn’t apologize to her, though I wanted to. Though one of the shots left a big ol’ nasty bruise. But I told her, “Sometimes we have to do things we don’t like to do because they are good for us.” Oy. Mean mean mommy.
I took the girls out to lunch after that, figuring we could all use a treat. It’s funny – keeping the kids under control in a restaurant is way easier when I’m alone with them than if Hubby’s with me. He is a big softy, and lets them do whatever they want. Drives me UP THE WALL. I don’t believe kids should have the run of a restaurant. I think it’s rude. When I’m dining, sans kids (yeah, I know, it rarely happens), I don’t want to have someone else’s kid running all over the place and interfering with my meal. And I’m a parent. Kids will be kids, yes (which is why I hope the waitress wasn’t totally hating on me after we left and a good chunk of Pumpkin’s lunch was on the floor under her high chair – I tried to clean some of it up, I swear!), but there is a lot to be said for teaching them how to act in public and how to behave, and having expectations for their behavior.
Anyway. What was I saying?
The girls behaved beautifully. Lunch was…mediocre. We went home, had some naps, and have basically been kicking around the house ever since. I was hoping for some rain this afternoon, but it never came, though the temperatures seem to have dropped a bit (not enough, in my opinion). Once the kids finally fade for the night, I’m gearing up to watch “So You Think You Can Dance” while trying to force myself to work out. I’m so addicted to SYTYCD – it’s not even funny. Actually, it IS kind of funny, when you think about how my daughter’s dance class drove me C-R-A-Z-Y! Last night on the show, I actually saw a girl I knew from The Princess’s dance studio. And she made it through to the Vegas round after the choreography segment (for those of you watching, it was the heavier set girl – part of a brother/sister duo. She did hip hop, her brother did the tap/krump/”krapp” dancing). Always fun to see people you “know” on TV (hasn’t happened since someone I knew from elementary school was on “Road Rules” like 100 years ago).
Anyway, I have no point today. Just typing.
Tomorrow’s Friday. THANK GOODNESS.
Where You’ll Find Me