I very nearly left CJ in Utah. On purpose.
Have I mentioned that we’re not going to take another multi-day road trip for at least three years? Well, it bears mentioning again.
Even if the luggage hadn’t flown off the roof – twice. Even if the DVD player hadn’t been a source of near-constant angst. Even if I hadn’t had to sing Christmas carols and both freecreditreport.com jingles to myself, over and over and over, in order to stay awake while driving across Nevada. None of those “even ifs” make the prospect of another road trip any more appealing.
The one aspect of traveling that went well was eating out. We actually had some really pleasant meals while in transit – most notably, a yummy Cajun-spiced fish entree at Applebee’s in Wyoming, of all places (I typically hate Applebee’s), and a surprise meal at a C.B. and Potts clone in Idaho (good beer + good food = happy parents).
We’d typically stop for lunch at McDonald’s. Number one, McDonald’s almost always has clean restrooms. My mother taught me that many years ago, and I’ve never forgotten the lesson. And number two, McDonald’s almost always has a place for kids to run around and let off steam.
On the way home, we stopped at a McDonald’s somewhere around Ogden, Utah. We were all fairly grumpy, knowing that we’d have to spend another night on the road before arriving home, and that most of the rest of the trip would be spent crossing Wyoming, which is only slightly more interesting than Nevada.
Kyle left me at McDonald’s with the three kids so that he could go fill up the car. I fed Oliver a bowl of cereal, then got him started nursing before telling the girls to put on their shoes so that we could go meet Daddy.
Tacy complied. CJ did not.
Instead, CJ sank down in front of the steps to ascend the slide – the spot where all the kids in the play area were trying to get to – curled into the fetal position, and howled.
I hoisted Oliver – still attached – with one arm, made my way over to CJ, and took her hand, trying to move her out of the way of the other kids. She went limp and her howls turned into blood-curdling shrieks:
“NO! NO WANT YOU! LEAVE ME ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE!”
With one bare breast and clutching a startled baby, I knelt down and managed to keep my voice calm as I quietly told her to get up and put on her shoes.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!”
I could feel the other parents looking at me. It didn’t matter that we were in McDonald’s, or even that we were in the play area. This level of disruption wasn’t welcome – or even excusable – anywhere.
Thankfully, Kyle had returned. He came up behind me and touched my shoulder. I got up and retreated to our table with Oliver while he focused on CJ, calming her down and getting her shoes on.
While I silently congratulated myself for holding it together on the outside, I had to admit that I was angry with her for behaving so badly. Past outbursts, I’ve been able to understand. This time, I had no idea what set her off. I only knew that she had me over a barrel, and if only for a split second, I wanted to say, “Leave you alone? Is that what you want? FINE.”
So even though I obviously didn’t leave her behind, I still maintain that we’re not taking another multi-day road trip for at least three years. Because even if she’d put on her shoes without a peep, it still doesn’t make the prospect any more appealing.
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Are you THAT family? Have you ever been THAT family, even at a McDonald’s? Write a post about it for today’s PBN Blog Blast, sponsored by Burger King. See, that’s where we went wrong. If only we’d gone to Burger King and gotten some of their fabulous new promotional toys by Crayola, CJ would have behaved like a little lady.
You, on the other hand, can not only get the goods from BK, you can win a $250 VISA check card to take the family out to dinner. Or maybe just you and your (wo)man. Or hell, maybe just you.
August 8th, 2008 at 6:56 am
[...] I Very Nearly Left CJ in Utah. On Purpose. [...]
August 8th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Wow, still attached, eh? I’m officially impressed.
My husband used to work out of his car all day, and he always used McDonald’s bathrooms.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Kids are so smart. They totally know how to pick the worst possible moments.
mayberrys last blog post..Haiku Friday: Revenge of the mod cons
August 8th, 2008 at 10:56 am
PS when we moved cross-country in 1988, we seriously at 3 meals a day at McD’s for an entire week.
mayberrys last blog post..Haiku Friday: Revenge of the mod cons
August 8th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
I had to crawl into one of those overhead crawl numbers to chase my daughter..because she would run frantically away from me…and had to mumble my I-don’t-beat-my-kids-in-public mantra every second of my time in there. It was ridiculous and we both cried by the end of the night.
Anissa@Hope4Peytons last blog post..What can you give?
August 8th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I can just picture a startled Oliver and it made me giggle. While nursing my daughter, I had to get up many times to chase after my son and she’d get those big round eyes, like, “Where we goin’?” Eating on the run, I guess.
August 8th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
They just know that we can’t do much when the baby is eating, right?
Heathers last blog post..They lock the doors when they see us coming
August 9th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Just when I think that song is out of my head, someone mentions it and it comes BACK- F R E E that spells free, credit report dot com bay bee!! ACK!
And I have also been the lucky recipient of the screech of “leave me alooooone”, makes a Mom feel just great, doesn’t it?
August 10th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
[...] it. You too have had thoughts of purposely leaving your naughty kids behind at least once in their life, [...]
August 12th, 2008 at 3:52 am
Oh My God, we’re about to go on our first roadtrip down the coast of NC with both our girls (2 and 4). You just reminded me of all that might go wrong! I am hoping our 2 year old is no longer into screaming in the car for hours, and I am hoping our 4 year old is not going throw any giant scenes (she is SO good at them!), and I am going to practice my Christmas carols starting RIGHT NOW!
August 18th, 2008 at 1:33 am
I hate that helpless feeling when I am nursing the baby and I also want to strangle my 4 year old, who is conveniently out of reach.