You Can't Have Any Whining. Mila Has It All.

I'm clinging to the last threads of summer like you would a favorite pair of faded, ripped up jeans. I'm just not ready to let go. Fall may be a spectacular reunion of sweaters and pumpkin spice and evenings around a fire pit, but summer has my heart. I want to summer so hard that I can't summer anymore.

So I took the girls on a very Pittsburgh adventure last week. They had doctors appointments in the morning, but then we ventured downtown for a little Gateway Clipper and Incline action. Somehow, Mila had never done either of those things. I must be Pittsburghing wrong? I guess? I feel like I have slighted the kid somehow, but no more! She has now done the Pittsburgh things, all the way down to eating at Primanti Brothers.

The Gateway Clipper tour was a particularly good lesson on why precisely I tend to "forget" to take Mila to do things. BECAUSE SHE SUCKS. I mean, she's adorable and fantastic and OMG SHE CAN WHINE. I know I've mentioned it before, but there are days when she jumps aboard her Whine-a-sawki and flies down the road whining so much I, the non-drinker, start to dream of wining. She can whine circles around anyone.

There was a point when I glared at her and thought about throwing her off the boat. I wouldn't actually do it, of course, but just thinking about it made me feel better. She whined that she was hot. She whined that it was too windy. She whined that she was hungry, which HAHAHAHAHA I had just paid $12 for her to have a very specific lunch because she wouldn't accept anything else. And by "just" I mean we ate, walked 15 feet, and got on the boat. It could not have possibly been more than 10 minutes from the time I said "Are you sure you're done?" until she declared, "I'm sooooo hungry!"

Mila whined about the sun being too bright. She whined that her chair wasn't comfortable. She whined that she wanted to walk around. She whined that her feet hurt and she needed to be carried. She whined and whined and whined and frankly that's the only thing I remember about that entire one-hour boat road. We may have seen some of Pittsburgh's best spots and may have heard some interesting facts about the city we love, but I don't remember. It all ceased to exist because Mila was riding her Whine-a-sawki.

She was slightly better for the incline. There were still some requests to be carried, but then I made ice cream appear and Mila was all sorts of okay with her life. She and her sister explored the overlooks, took pictures of the skyline, and generally did the things that kids should do when exploring Pittsburgh.

Eventually we returned home and it was time to tuck Mila in for a good night's sleep. As I often do, I asked her what her favorite part of the day had been. I expected to hear about the incline or the ice cream or some other little detail that made her happy, but no. No, Mila's favorite part of the whole day was ... "riding on the boat."

I don't understand. Explain this to me. If you are geniunely enjoying an experience, WHY WOULD YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH TO WHINE NON-STOP? WHY? I AM SO CONFUSED.

Apparently whining is how Mila shows appreciation. I think maybe I'd like to enter a phase where we stop that. Can we do it now? How about now? NOW? PLEEEEEASE?

Comments

[Cheryl]

Ha - 8 YO greatniece visit was the the exact same script this summer. Why is it that they cling to the thing that they hated just hours ago? All the whining. Hang in there - she will grow into an amazing, powerful woman, thanks to you.