I really like eating new and yummy places. Chad and I loved to have long dinners out together before kiddos came on the scene. Even then, we haven't been one of those families that never leaves the house just because we have toddlers.
I think that all just ended tonight.
We got a gift card to PF Changs (fancy Chinese food in case you didn't know) and decided to cash it in for dinner tonight . . . with the two littles in tow.
No big deal, right? We have great kids! That's what we thought too. Um, we were wrong.
We did pretty well for the first 5 minutes . . . Ava was coloring on the kids menu and I quickly unloaded my bag of goodies for Grayson. Keep his mouth and belly full and we should be good to go!
He literally blazed through the grapes, yogurt, goldfish, and orange before we even had time to order. Meanwhile, Ava is bored with coloring and thinks that playing the drums (table) with chopsticks is a much better idea. Which then seems like a great idea to Grayson.
Chad and I are busy trying to savor every bite of our Lettuce Wraps and just block out the chaos ensuing at our table. They are just being kids. At least they aren't screaming or something.
Spoke too soon. For those of you who know my sweet Grayson, you know that he is an exceptionally happy little guy (unless he has an ear infection and then he is incredibly foul which has been my life for the last 2 months!). So tonight was no different. Grayson was, in fact, so happy that he wanted the whole restaurant to know. :)
He started yelling at the top of his lungs . . . over and over again. This isn't crying. He didn't want to be held. Nothing was wrong. He just wanted to holler. And then giggle. And then scream some more, just to see if he could get any louder (he couldn't).
So you can imagine our reaction . . . Shushing him, which is just laughable because he just giggles even more since he is getting attention. Then the "Grayson, be quiet. Stop. Seriously." Still hollering. Then we move to the next logical solution . . . if his mouth is full, he can't scream. So we are shoving any remaining food into his mouth as fast as we can. This works for a moment, but since he barely takes the time to chew his food, he is right back at it after a few quick swallows.
It didn't help that at this point waitresses are coming over to talk about how cute he is and laughing about what he is trying to tell us. More attention just fans the flames.
We're getting looks from the people around us. You know, the ones that say "he's so cute but for the love of all that is holy could you please shut him up so I can eat my noodles in peace." Really? Like we aren't trying? Cut me some slack . . . I haven't even taken a bite of my noodles!
One group of ladies even moved to a different table (not that I blame them). I actually didn't notice until after they were gone. I'm choosing to believe that they needed to have a really serious conversation and moved very discretely in order to not make us feel bad. That, or maybe I didn't notice because I was too busy trying to keep Grayson from spilling the soy sauce with his ninja chopstick and picking up pieces of food that he had flung at least two feet in every direction.
Once our real food got there, he did a little better, but the screaming and giggling never really stopped for long. And again, we aren't talking a little yell . . . our boy has some lungs.
And that is just Grayson.
Ava was great through the whole meal and even helped us distract Grayson a bit.
But she was barefoot.
Before you judge . . . I'm not one of those moms. We run around barefoot in our house or outside, but NEVER in public places. Gross.
But today I just so happened to get in the attic to find some warm weather clothes for Ava. Spring has definitely arrived in NOLA which means summer should be here next week. I pulled down some clothes and shoes from last year that will still fit (I kid you not, she is 3.5 yrs old and still wears 18 mo. shorts . . . skinny minny!). Ava found a pair of flip flops and insisted on wearing them out tonight. All was great for the first 3 minutes and then she wails that they hurt her feet and she can't walk. Drama anyone?! So I carried Ava into PF Changs and just put the sandals in my diaper bag. No big deal.
But at some point during this whole chaotic episode, I realize that we look like "those" parents. The ones who let their kids walk all over the place barefoot, who can't stop their ridiculously cute little boy from screaming and interrupting a nice dining experience, whose table looks like a war zone at the end of a meal.
Yep. We are those parents.
And all we could do was laugh. Pay our bill. Carry our kids out . . . still hollering and barefoot. And enjoy one last moment of what was probably our last nice dinner out for a long time (as a whole family . . . still gotta have a date every now and then!).
So it's back to the kitchen for me. Slaving over a hot stove and loving every minute with my barefoot, hollering, wild and joy-of-my-heart kids!
Ava wrote "Hi Dad" in her journal . . . all by herself! She is getting so big!
And Grayson has discovered just how much he loves to feed himself. Mommy doesn't love the mess, but his cuteness makes up for it!
sounds like us! we don't get out much and you can totally tell when we do. we are also loud, barefoot, and messy. and we ask for the check the moment we have ordered. :)
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