My outing with the babies

Today started out like every other day, I wake up, eat my breakfast and as I am enjoying my tea I stop to think about "what to do?" with the kids.
Andys suggestion is always "take the kids to the park", for some reason whenever that sentence leaves his mouth I get instantly tired.  I'm not sure what it is about going to the park that just exhausts me, but I start thinking to myself about how I have to

• dress the kids
• bring snacks
• sunscreen the kids
• find hats
• find shoes
• bring water

The list for the park is always ongoing and I think what stalls me out is the sunscreen portion for the kids.  I have to do everything else on the list when I take them to the mall *except hats and sunscreen*, but for some reason lotioning them both up irritates me.  I don't want them to get a sunburn, so I put it on, and it doesn't take long, but I just get frustrated, i wish there was a shower of sunscreen that could hit us each time we decide to go out to play.

Anyway moving on.....
I thought to myself that I would bring the kids to a different mall experience, so I drove 20 minutes to the grapevine mall and visited Legoland.  I wish Andy had been there, it was fun, but it is also something that requires 2 adults.  There are rides there that C could have gone on, but G wasn't allowed to sit on my lap so it was a no go.  He enjoyed himself either way though.  He didn't even put Lego in his mouth, not even once!  There was a slight meltdown when we went into Miniland, the train wasn't working so, no matter how hard C pushed that button, it wasn't going to go anywhere.  I had to carry him out, but he didn't kick or scream and didn't bolt back in there once we had left.  I wanted to buy him a bunch of duplo blocks in the store but used my better judgement.  I can't buy him everything, because as much as I would love to spoil him and G rotten they will start to expect it, and once you get in that routine, forget about trying to tell them No!  Also, I hate making buying descisions with Andy being there, he is the only one working, so I don't want to spend money like that without consulting him first.

After we left Legoland we went for Lunch.  I've always wanted to do a lunch date with the kids, without daddy.  I have always been afraid because frankly, Andy and I work best in a team, and if one kid has a meltdown there is another parent there to help out.  I decided to just try it, because the worst that can happen is, the children both start crying in unison, causing me to be embarrassed and potentially cry myself out of the restaurant.
I might have had my blockers on, but I really feel like both kids behaved the whole time.  C was up and down a few times in his chair, picking up forks and crayons off the floor, but he listened to me.  He didn't scream and didn't throw things and was generally the sweet boy that I know and love.  G had a few moments being a fussy pants, but I solved that problem by feeding her. When she was done eating I gave her a spoon to play with until the bill was paid and we could leave.
I couldn't fully enjoy myself because of the anxiety I felt of "what if they both freak out", and I just didn't realize how lucky I was until after the meal was finished.  The way they both behaved today has given me hope that outings will be a little less stressful, and maybe I can start to enjoy carting around my 2 babies, without that constant fear of "what's going to happen next...".

I am going to try going to a cry baby matinee with a friend, I know that will probably be a little less stressful because I will have a friend there, and there will be other screaming babies.

If ever I feel overwhelmed again by the way my kids are behaving I just need to look back at this post and remember that yes, they do have good days.