Yesterday we went on an excursion to the park. Actually, let me back up.
A Difficult Day
Yesterday I told Little Boy we would be going to the park. I did the morning juggle of nursing Baby Brother, getting us breakfast and trying to convince Little Boy to eat something.
We played a little, and when Baby Brother went to nap in the swing, I decided to start getting us ready for the park. Little Boy first did not want to put clothes on.
Then, after some convincing we came back downstairs dressed to leave, and he has a tantrum about only wanting to leave in the single stroller. “Chico! chico!” I finally have both kids in the double stroller, leave the house, and half way to the park Baby Brother starts crying.
Nothing is wrong so I keep going as fast as I can and we make it to the park. I take Baby Brother out and Little Boy starts wandering. He stops to watch the sprinkler and before I know it he pees his pants.
Now I wouldn’t have minded much since I had a couple changes of clothes for just this occasion, but then he starts to play in his pee puddle!!! He defiantly refuses to stop. He’s only about 5 steps away from me, but I am changing Baby Brother on the crooked metal bench and he is just out of reach.
I finish with one, change the other and then Little Boy asks for a snack. When he decides that I did not put a sufficient amount in his snack cup he has another fit. “Bamba! bamba!” He proceeds to grab the bag from under the stroller, and run around the park with both the bag and the snack cup, inevitably dropping bamba all over the place and then eating it from the ground. Oy!
When Baby Brother finishes nursing I can attend to this mess and offer Little Boy some water. I get the water bottle out of the stroller and then we have another melt down- apparently he wants to drink from the bottle while it is still IN the stroller.
I’ve had it. I load both kids back in, trudge up the hill heading home, and for a little bonus points Baby Brother again starts to cry at the half way mark and until we get home.
An Easy Day
Today when we got up the morning juggle went pretty smoothly. Little Boy came on the floor with me to play with Baby Brother on his play mat. He agreed to get dressed no problem, and despite a few disruptions we made it out of the house in time to get to his gym class.
I carried Baby Brother in the Infantino carrier and pushed the single stroller. Class was good and uneventful, and at the end of it I asked Little Boy if he wanted to use the potty and he did. So we went on the big toilet and it was awesomesauce.
Then we walked across the street and got bubble tea which Little Boy drank as he sat dutifully next to me while I nursed Baby Brother. He asked to go to the park, but when I told him we needed to head home for lunch he came and sat in the stroller.
We made it home, had lunch, Baby Brother fell asleep and went to nap in the swing while we went upstairs and read a story. Then Little Boy laid down, asked for a sheet, and I left.
Two kids sleeping at the same time! Life is SO good.
Life is Good
When people ask me if it is very hard taking care of two kids I generally answer: “No, but it depends on the day”.
I choose to put out of my mind those trying days, and remember the sweet ones. The good days are so much better than the bad ones could ever be.
I have a lot to be grateful for: an infant that is smiley and easy-going, a toddler that is almost potty trained, talking and entertaining us. There’s not much more I could ask for at this point.
Yay for having a better day today!