Errands with kids are messy. Even when your kids are being good!
I needed to returns some books and pick up a book on hold at the library. On the way there, I tried to think how I could manage to do that without waking up Scarlett (and having a sleeping baby is a very, very good thing when her brother woke her up at 5:30). Scarlett sleeps pretty lightly, and she'll wake up any time we move her, whether we're actually touching her or taking her carseat out of the car (which we don't generally do because it's so cumbersome). So I was thinking through my options.
The most "safe" option would be to wake Scarlett up and bring her and Ender into the library with me. Ohhh, but I have a big pile of books to return! The kids would have to be in the double stroller! I'd have to wake Scarlett up, get that out of the trunk and pile the kids and the books in just to return the books and check one book out?
But there is the drive-thru drop box. So just pile the kids into the stroller all just to check out one book? And wake Scarlett up from her nap? Why isn't there a drive-thru for picking up books on hold?
I suppose I could take the kids in and make it a regular library trip (even though we have a lot of books at home from yet another library--that's how we roll!). But I only need one book...
Maybe...maybe I could...
Leave the car on the curb and dash in to return the books? The car would be in sight the whole time.
Would people be watching me with scorn? Ah! I'm a good mom, I am!
Oh, but my book on hold is around the corner from the entrance, and I wouldn't see them for that moment.
Too scary. Just too risky. Am I chicken? Yes, I'm chicken. But...no, I'm chicken.
Leave the car running but locked? Since I have Michael's keys as well?
Yes...maybe...still bad, but maybe acceptable...sort of...
But the car doesn't lock with keys in it. Leave the kids in the car with the window open just like people do for their dogs?
My kids aren't dogs.
But...just one book? I'd be fast?
And I was kind of decided on that one. I'd be fast with checking out my one book. It was probably just fine.
But then I got there, and the library was closed for a random maintenance thing.
Oh yeah, and Scarlett woke up when I closed my car door anyway.
Meh. I guess it saved me from looking like a bad mom! Hah!
Do you ever find yourself having this kind of battle in your mind? What errands make you feel especially dragged down by having kids in tow?
If you don't have kids, well, your future list of "Things I wish I knew before I had kids" won't have this on it. Because now you know. The world is a completely different thing when you have to lug a carseat around or hoist your kids with your purse. And a diaper bag. And groceries or books or another kid's hand. What's that quote?-- if evolution were real, Moms would have more than two arms!
Even then, I think I'd prefer leaving the kids in the car. Ugh, so badmom of me, but it's true.
As soon as I read your post on my blog I had so much guilt! I read and run on your blog ALL THE TIME! (I use Google Reader so it makes it harder to comment...) BUT I will do better, as well! So, reasons I loved this post:
ReplyDelete1. I do this all the time. Usually I just decide that I'm not going to go anywhere because it's too hard (this usually relates to the grocery store and dragging a gaggle of children behind/under/around me). It usually all comes to a head every week or so when I call Ryan at about 9pm and ask him to pick up milk/bread/something salty on the way home from work and I have to explain that I haven't been to the store in 2 weeks and that I thought he was happy eating poptarts for breakfast...
2. You use the work "meh". This is a word that my sister and I use. It's our "why can't everything be easy/why is this happening to me/you're making me crazy/I hate complicated,etc" word. I've learned since that it's a computer geek word that means you're indifferent but I don't agree. It sounds so much better with the tips of your fingers on both hands pursed together and a look frustration on your face. You also have to draw the word out good and long and maybe add a bit of grumble to it.
3. I love that you go to the library. :)