‘Tis The Season For Miracles
December 5, 2005
Wow, my kids TOTALLY made it up to me for waking me up with the sun (literally) yesterday. I’m gonna pay for this, big time. I know it. This is one of those times that my kids are going to do something really bad later on in life and will take that opportunity to remind me of last night by saying “Remember that night, mom, way back when I was absolutely PERFECT in a restaurant for Grandad’s birthday dinner, even while I waited like 45 minutes for a pepperoni pizza? Don’t remember it? Well, I’m sure my Aunts will be able to remind you. Now, about that Maserati I really want for my 16th birthday…red will do, yeah, cherry red.”
I am SO SCREWED!
Most of the time, we hate taking our kids out for dinner. Unless it’s a kid-friendly restaurant, hopefully a step up from a McDonald’s with a play place, do we rarely not just get stuff to-go if we don’t feel like cooking. Sometimes I’ll take M out for dinner if we go to a Friday Shabbat service, but R can be a bit of a challenge. Seeing as he rarely, if ever, actually eats at our own kitchen table at home; I don’t usually hold out high hopes anywhere else.
So imagine my horror when it’s decided that we’re taking my father-in-law out for dinner for his birthday. Not that the man doesn’t deserve it, because he so does. But the fact that I have no backup with me (i.e.: the hubby) makes me think of hives and have night sweats. Plus, were going to a restaurant in their town that they love, and know the owner, so no pressure there, right?
I decide that the night before needs a test run. We go to Chili’s, a kid-friendly place; they even have crayons and drawing paper at the table. R lasts 10 minutes in his seat, and I’m being generous. Luckily, they seat us in a corner, so he can play behind me, and other diners don’t suffer too much. He eats well, and I count the night as a success. As long as we get seated in a corner of the restaurant on Sunday, I’m golden, right? *gulp* I hope…
Crack of dawn Sunday arrives. Hang out, make breakfast, play, finish up homework due Monday, watch a movie, kill time. Head out to Blockbuster to change out movie (Get to rent Madagascar for free, thanks, Blockbuster!), start the trek to the in-laws which takes about 45 minutes or so as the crow flies. (Me? I tend to “fly” a little faster.) 
R falls asleep during the trip. Not surprising, it regularly happens. No big, he’ll probably wake up when we get there as he usually does. We arrive, and even with the doors sliding open on my van, not even a flinch. Woah… I carry him into the kid’s room and lay him down on the bed. He stirs, but within a few minutes he’s back out again. This next part is really important….
I GET TO VISIT, KID FREE, WITH MY IN-LAWS. FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. An hour passes. Then another. I get to play a card game. This is huge.
I love my husband’s family. They are the most awesome people I have had the pleasure to call family. So to be able to carry on a conversation that actually allows me to stand and hear the reply to my question instead of having to run to the other side of the house to find out what that crash was in the playroom is…wow, I’m tearing up just thinking about it. Amazing.
Fast-forward to getting ready to head to the restaurant for dinner. Pile kids into van, remind (and beg, who am I kidding here!) kids to please be on best behavior at dinner, stay in seat, no yelling, etc…Then I check my bag ‘o tricks to make sure I have things to give them to keep them occupied…
Yeah, nope. S*it! Need to get creative. Get to restauraunt. Find out we are seated practically in the middle of the restaurant. Yikes! Take deep breath and hope for best, knowing if push comes to shove I’ll just be the queen of to-go. It’s an italian restaurant, and they have high-end dishes as well as pizza. Things are looking good. Boys have my last two pieces of paper I can find, and pens. All quiet on the table front. Drinks, toast to the birthday boy and girls, order, wait for food. And wait for food. And wait for food. And wait for food. And wait for food. R comes and snuggles in my lap. We do “cheers” with our tea glasses. M’s Pepsi that I never allow him to have at dinner (but they didn’t have milk) sits, untouched. He’s busy drawing and explaining what he is doing to his aunt. Bread comes. Still waiting for food. People who came in before us get served, pay checks, and leave. I’m beginning to panic for several reasons:
1. My perfect kid behavior time is running short, I just know it… and….
2. My mom-in-law has planned a surprise party back at her house for the birthday boy. Someone has to get back there to let guests in and make sure last minute details are tended to so it goes off without a hitch.
Mom-in-law joins in my panic, but luckily birthday boy thinks it’s all because were worried about the kids. Hee.
Food finally arrives, boys get to eat. I have about 5 bites of my dinner (linguine with white clam sauce, delicious!), and tell them to box it up, we need to get home (excuse du jour: School night). The boys and I race outta there and I then tell them the rest of the story I couldn’t tell them earlier because I was afraid of them spilling the beans; we’re going back to help set up and surprise grandad, then head home. We hide the van down the street, around the corner, head to the house, get everyone in, and SURPRISE!!!!! Goes off without a hitch. I scarf a chocolate mousse (Kiki: YUM!!!), and we head home.
Bath for one, shower for the other, M did garbage detail without being reminded, lunches made, quick Little Einsteins game on the (now working) DVD, and bed.
I got to watch Grey’s Anatomy, and just before the show ended, my hubby called me from Mumbai, India to let me know he had made it there okay and met up with his co-workers.
It wasn’t until I had said my I love you’s and hung up that the floodgates opened. I didn’t realize I had held all that in. I was just so greatful to hear his voice, and I missed him terribly, but I thought I was handling this really well. I guess I am, but boy do I miss him, and I’m glad he’s okay.
Bring our troops home soon, Mr. President. My husband may only be on a business trip, but if this is how it feels for the wives and families of our troops for months on end; let me say this sucks. My hats off to those families, and those men and women out there helping Iraq seek a better life.
Love you honey. Kick A$$ with work this week!
Shash
What I’m listening to on the Zen Micro: Grey’s Anatomy playlist.
