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laughter and mayhem

Revolving around the rift between a comfortable existence and the search for adventure. I have a childcare business, which means one never knows what to expect within these walls. One moment it is quiet, the next there may be dancing, laughter or the exaggerated screams of a drama queen in the throes of her art.

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What happened to dinner?

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Contributed by: Karen Stookey on 11/1/2007

This morning I took 5 children ages 10 weeks to 3 years to see Pirates of Penzance. Okay, it was only one hour of the opera, and it was cut down for the elementary school, but still an accomplishment. Two came to see their mother perform and it was marvelous. The children behaved incredibly well and I promised fun food for lunch as we walked out to the parking lot and nestled into carseats. As I was buckling in the third little angel, I noticed she had shed one of her shoes and it was nowhere near. Back out of the buckles and straps, back to the stroller and off to search for the missing attire.The shoeless angel's mommy was pulling by and stopped wondering why we were headed back, and we quickly decided the little angel had tossed the shoe in revenge for having to sit still so long.Mommy lovingly offered to help, but she had makeup to remove before getting off to work, so I regretfully declined.
We walked all the way back to the auditorium and I noticed a boy who had been very polite and helpful when I was trying to find a way out of the locked campus earlier. I asked if he had noticed a very small shoe. He had (YAY!) and turned around to get it, but the janitor had it and wasn't in his office. After another attempt at getting help, I spotted the janitor, who had thoughtfully taken the shoe to administration. A confused and frustrated look on my face convinced him to lead me, and he retrieved the shoe. Properly shod,on our way to the car, we ran into the two angels' Nana, who agreed the angel had tossed her shoe in a fit of passive aggression. Off we went to the promised special luncheon as reward for such wonderful behavior at the performance, and a long awaited nap.
Okay, the day was going well, the baby ate and slept. So did everyone else, for that matter. They all five slept at the same time - usual for most weeks, except this one. The weather a bit cool, the kids created art and puppet shows instead of expending their energy on the swings and sandbox. Just as I was sliding into the kitchen to put supper together, the two youngest began to sound-off. One woke the other and they were on their way to creating a sort-of sick harmony with their wailings.
Supper can wait. Babies need dry pants and full tummies, and it's more comfortable in that order. Dry pants and full tummies later, it was time to hit the kitchen. Not gonna happen. The littlest angel decided she just needed to be held, and the next one just needed to be my shadow. Snuggle time for a bit.
Okay, the baby can lie on a mat and watch me shove frozen meal parts into the microwave, no way will it get done in time otherwise. Nope, the baby is fine, now the doorbell is calling. I just love supper time when I'm feeling like Gumby.
Of course, parents arrived as the little darlings were finishing up and all ended well, it just takes more patience some days than others. They went home with a well balanced meal in their bellies, some art for the refrigerator and all the memories of a great day.

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