Everyday With Two Toddlers Is An Adventure

The Train Engine Shirt

A few weeks ago a co-worker of mine watched the girls while Steven and I went out on a day. She later told me in amazement they went for 4 hours, “I mean they didn’t stop for 4 hours, I have a new found respect for you.” This is a woman who works with children everyday like me.

On Christmas Day we went to a sit down restaurant. Denny’s, nothing fancy, but it wasn’t until half way through that I realized we hadn’t been to a sit down place in a looonnnnngggg time. Unfortunately the outing was less than enjoyable, it really could have been a post all to itself. And I really don’t think we’ll go go out again for a very looonnnnngggg time.

We only have one car, so usually when one of us is at work the other goes out walking or on the bus to get the girls places. Yesterday was the first day in about a month where I was home with the girls and it wasn’t raining (BTW, our 800 ft home never feels so small as when we are trapped inside with 2 toddlers). So the girls and I left the house at 9:45, we didn’t get home until 4:15. Really we had a lot of fun. We walked to the park, McDonald’s, the library, the toystore, the pet store, the grocery store and back (that’s 4 miles pushing a double stroller, I totally got my exercise). I thought I’d tell you some of the humorous parts of our day.

Remember it was raining forever and the park was our first stop. Seporah went down both slides that were extremely wet. Consequently her pants became extremely wet. She came up to me and said “Stinky!” Which is what she says when she has a dirty diaper. I told her it would dry and to keep on playing. Nope she would have none of that. So she played on the park pantless for an hour while they dried (moral of the story-please don’t judge the mom when you see children running around without clothing).

For Christmas Grandma and Grandpa sent a train. It’s great, she loves it, but it’s a really intricate set that requires instruction and more patience than I usually have to put together. So I decided we needed a couple straight tracks so we could have a simple oval. I was scoping out my options and watching Felicity. I had a vague idea that Seporah was about 6 feet away, put I wasn’t really paying enough attention to her (seriously, you must know what they are doing at all times or problems will start). Suddenly a sales associate said, “OH! Here let me help you!” She had found a Thomas the Tank Engine shirt and was trying to put it on, her head going through the arm holes. Remember how she played in the wet park for an hour and we walked 2 miles to get there, well she was filthy. And she had just put a nice clean shirt on. The sales associate looked like she was going to blow a gasket. So rather then try to return the stretched out, now muddy shirt to the rack, I bought it and Seporah wore it home.

During outings I have to walk a fine line while consuming water. I don’t want to get dehydrated while walking that much, but I also really, really, really don’t want to go to a public restroom with both girls by myself. Thankfully I managed to only have to go once. First I changed Seporah’s diaper, then let her walk in and out of the empty stalls while I changed Felicity’s diaper. Then I took the stroller and Felicity into the handicap stall and tried to coax Seporah in while I went to the toilet. Seporah was like No! I said fine, but you aren’t allowed to leave the bathroom. I proceeded to close and lock the door. THEN Seporah wanted in, but I was already sitting down. Seporah started screaming, Felicity walks over and tries to open the door for her sister, obviously she is unable to and starts screaming. I tell Seporah to climb under the door if she really wants in. She does and then unlocks the door and opens it while I am still sitting on the toilet. This privacy thing everyone speaks of, I have no idea what that means.

Remember this is all in one day. 2 children in under 2 years is complete insanity, my 2 cents, wait at least 3 years between children. There’s actually more I could tell, but I’d like to get a shower before the girl’s wake up, so until next time.

Look Mom, Seporah gave me a stick too!