One of Those Days

Yesterday was one of those days, but as I reflected last night, I found the humor in the lessons I learned from the events. Nate & I started our day by taking Scott to the airport - he is attending the wedding of our dear friends, Dave & Tiffaney in Philadelphia this weekend. As we were preparing to leave the house, Nate and I were having a struggle about what shoes he was going to wear. Scott suggested that he wear NO shoes because we were just going to be dropping him off at the airport. To move things along, I agreed.

Halfway to the airport, Nate reports that he has to use the potty. Fab. I told him that he would just have to wait until we got home because there were no potties available at the moment. We arrived at the airport, drove right by the Southwest terminal, even though Scott was flying on Southwest. Turn around, back up, we finally arrive at the correct terminal. Kiss Kiss, Hug Hug, Nate has to use the potty. I get back in the car to find that my gas light is on, so I decide to stop at a Quik Trip by the airport - use your imagination as to the surroundings. I pump the gas and tell Nate that we are going inside to use the potty. Then I remember he has no shoes on, so I carry him inside only to find the Women's restroom is closed. Fab. Now he really has to use the potty. So I do as any good mom would and take him outside the Quik Trip and try to find the cleanest part of grass possible - he has no shoes on. Mission accomplished, I hope no one was too offended. Lesson learned: Wearing shoes is kind of like wearing clean underwear, you should never the house without them, you never know when you might really need them.

After the airport outing, we came home to get ready for our next big outing - Trader Joe's & Target. Trader Joe's was a breeze - if you are used to a 3 year old pushing the cart next to wall to wall wine bottles, which I happen to be. We get a balloon and head over to Target.

They are "improving" our Target and it is under major construction with half of the parking lot blocked off. So we trekked all the way across the parking lot, get in the store and are ready to get down to business when I discover I have left my coupons and list in the car. Trek back to the car and back to Target. Lesson learned: Keep the list and coupons in your purse because you know that will be going inside with you. Nate asks if he can bring his balloon inside Target. Sure - why not?

We are finally ready to start shopping and are getting the much needed bug spray, when I hear "OH NO MOM, THERE GOES MY BALLOON!" I look up just in time to see the blue Trader Joe's balloon hit the high ceiling. Fab. I explain to Nate that I'm not tall enough to reach it...major tears and screaming ensues. A little old lady comes up and explains to Nate that the wind blew the balloon up there and that it is not mom's fault - Nate gives her a "What are you talking about?" kind of look, wind clearly does not blow inside. Anyway, I fast tracked the shopping because my child is heartbroken over the balloon and the entire store knows about it. He is still crying at the checkout and the salesperson asks what is wrong. I explain about the balloon and she tells me that they have to get many a Trader Joe's balloon off their ceiling daily. Lesson learned: Do not take the Trader Joe's balloon inside Target.

We safely make it home with Nate still screaming, so as a consolation prize, I give him a new Bob the Builder DVD to watch - Amazon had them on mega sale a few months ago and I stocked up for rainy days. Even though it was not raining, this certainly qualified. Lesson reinforced: Always have consolation prizes on hand.

The rest of the day went much better and we enjoyed the sunshine, the wading pool, and much deserved chardonnay, for me of course. Nate was rockin out in his room last night, which made all the day's lessons worth it.