Giggles Earned The Painful Way
"Jump in the car, please," I told Alexis as she stepped off of the school bus. "We need to run some errands real quick."
I wanted to run to the grocery store and bank as quickly as possibly. Ideally, we would manage to pick up eggs, deposit a check, and return home before Mr. Husband had a chance to pull into the driveway. I feel like we are perpetually over-scheduled these days, so I really wanted to enjoy an evening at home on a night when we didn't have any events.
"Hurry! Hurry!" I urged Alexis. She buckles her own seatbelt these days, despite the fact that she's still in a five-point harness. I'm that evil parent that hasn't let the kid move to a true booster seat yet. For as long as she fits in that car seat and isn't complaining, she's stuck with it. Actually, complaining probably won't get her out of my Overly Cautious About Car Safety hell. So, I silently sit impatiently as it takes her FOREVER to buckle up.
"Ready!" she called out as the third click echoed through the car. I backed out of the driveway and quickly but carefully navigated the shortest route through our neighborhood.
As we were driving down the road, I began to mentally plan all of the things that needed done that evening. Lunches needed to be made, dinner needed to happen, Alexis needed a bath, homework needed completed, and then there is that pile of white picture frames that has been sitting in the dining room for months. THAT really needed to be cleaned up.
Then I glanced down at my dashboard.
64 degrees.
I looked back up and smiled at the rays of sunshine that were pouring into the car.
"Hey, do you want to stop at the playground?" I asked Alexis. 64-degree days don't happen in November. For once, I wanted to forget all of the mundane tasks that make up our daily lives. It's been a long time since I spontaneously created a moment of fun and it was a perfect chance.
"Yes, please!" Alexis called back.
As we pulled into the parking lot, the cheerful sprite in the back seat suddenly became surrounded by a cloud of grump. "But, moooommmmma! I didn't change clothes!" she cried.
It was true. In my rush to run the errands and immediately return home, I hadn't let the kid go into the house and change out of her school uniform. It was an intentional move, but I realized it was about to backfire on me. The kid HATES to wear her uniform anywhere that someone may see her. (I know it's dumb. I can't convince her of that fact no matter how hard I try.)
She refused to get out of the car. REFUSED. She re-buckled her seat belt and folded her arms over her chest so that I couldn't reach the buckle.
I shoved her hands out of the way and unbuckled her anyway. I'm mean. So what?
As I reached into the car to grab the kid, she lunged over to the other side of the car, just out of my reach. I walked around to the other side and opened the door. She lunged out of my reach again. Over and over we played an annoying game of keep-away.
I'm bigger. I eventually won.
I drug the kid literally kicking and screaming to the park. How's that for "enjoying" an afternoon of good weather? It's probably worthy of a Worst Parent of the Year Award, but at the moment, I didn't care. I had decided we were going to have fun and dammit, we were going to have fun.
And we did.
It turns out that I still have the ability to make the kid laugh so hard tears come to her eyes.
I can make her giggle so furiously that she snorts.
I can make her gasp for air in between chuckles.
I can make her cry, "Momma, you're making my belly hurt!"
And I can make her declare, "Stop making me laugh! You're going to make me pee my pants!"
Even when she is wearing her stupid school uniform.
All I have to do is go down the slide and get shocked so badly that it sounds like a lightening strike just before I scream, "Ooooooouch!"
The girl sure does think it's funny when I get hurt.
And it's totally worth it.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Reader Comments (10)
That outfit is way too funky and fun to be a uniform.
Excellent! My kids think it's hilarious when I get hurt, too. Good thing, because I'm quite the klutz!
PS I have a question about Christmas Crazy. I have set aside $X for you this year BUT I want my kids to make the connection between the cash donated and the benefit to other kids. Any suggestions on how I can make that happen? e-mail: longdazeshortyears at zoominternet dot net.
first, that totally does NOT look like a uniform. totally cute.
second, love the photos of alexis laughing!
third, as a child i have heard (plus as an adult i have said) "we are going to have fun if it kills us, dammit!" and it is a good thing.
fourth, i would laugh at you getting hurt, but i would absolutely promise to ask if you were ok.
fifth, i have no idea why i am priving that i can count in your comment section. sorry!
The pictures make me smile from ear to ear. Love love love them! Glad you had fun Damn it!
I absolutely LOVE Alexis pictures, she always makes me smile! Where did you get her uniform jumper? My daughter wears a similar uniform and is OBSESSED with wearing jumpers!
Umm, I love that uniform! It is super cute! Totally not what I was expecting when you said "uniform".
I love the way you told the story of your afternoon, it's hilarious! You showed that there are things more worthwhile than doing errands - all we have to do is let go of the worries and embrace spontaneity. By the way, the pictures are beautiful as well.
Most kids don't have the maturity to sit 100% correctly (no leaning, slumping, grabbing toys, etc) in a seatbelt booster until closer to 6yo any way, and even the AAP and NHTSA recommends keeping kids in harnesses until they don't fit any more (tips of ears over top of shell, or shoulders over top slots, or weight limit met), and then in a BPB (belt positioning booster) until they can pass the 5 step test (usually around age 10-12), so good for you :-)
Besides, harnesses are easier to buckle than boosters any way.
The things we do to make our kids laugh! Please tell Alexis that she looks BEAUTIFUL in her uniform and it's the least "uniformy" outfit I've ever seen.
Those shots are priceless! You should post them (and the captions) over her bed so Giggly Happy Alexis can watch over Sleeping Alexis all night long. :)