December 2, 2006

Have Patience, Have Patience...

Check out the fabulous job B.B. did painting his own nails. I forgot to put the polish bottle out of reach, and I guess he needed OPI International Date Line. I was in the shower and Husband was wrestling with the other two so he didn't notice until it was too late. Husband tried (in vain) to wash the polish off with water. B.B. had painted clear up to his first knuckle and a little on his wrist.
We've just returned from our weekly Wal-Mart excursion. Luckily, this week I carried a detailed list and had my coupons, not only on hand, but organized. Usually they're left on the island in my kitchen next to my shopping list when we get to the store.

Baby Girl was disinclined to acquiesce to any of our plans this morning...including getting dressed to leave the house. She fussed and whined and cried until we were about 5 miles from the house. I guess that's when she gave into her fate.


She was fine until we got to the bank's drive-thru. Then she began demanding her sippy cup of milk. Yes, I realize that at 5 years old, it's about time to retire the sippy cup, but for trips to town it's nearly indispensable. As she sits in the back seat of the van, I can't reach her. So I handed her cup to #1 Son and he attempted to pass it back to her. She didn't get a good grip on it before he let go and it fell into the door well where I couldn't reach it.

We were a mile from the store so I told her she had to wait. This did not go over well. She began screaming and crying and demanding I crawl back and get her cup. When I refused she really flipped out. That's when Husband and I heard #1 Son mumble, "Well, you should have grabbed the cup, Baby Girl."

When we got to Wal-Mart, we discovered Santa was there. He was sitting by the changing rooms and you could get your picture taken for free. None of my kids were too keen on setting on his lap, but we did manage to get a picture of Santa and #1 Son and one of Santa and B.B.

Now, my kids don't really believe in Santa. Not to say we don't get presents from him and I have no problem with telling him what you want for Christmas, but I've always tried to make it clear that it's all pretend. I never really believed in Santa, but always got gifts from him. I remember how upset the kids at school would get when they figured it all out, and I didn't want to go through that with my kids...but I did make it very clear to Baby Girl that it wasn't her job to tell the kids in her class that Santa isn't real. I did that in kindergarten, and it didn't go over well.

As we were walking away from Santa, #1 Son leans over to me and says, "See, Mommy, I told you he was real." Uh-oh.

On the way home, we went through McDonald's drive-thru (it's our weekly treat). After waiting in the drive-thru line for an entire 3 minutes we finally ordered and paid. We pulled away from the pay window and were waiting to get to the food window when #1 Son yells, "Hey, where are my fries?!" I told him we had to wait until we pulled up to the next window. Then Baby Girl chimes in with, "Yeah, don't you have any patience?"
#1 Son says, "Yes, I do have some."
"Where is it then?"
I said, "Where is yours, Baby Girl?"
"I have lots of patience, Mom!"
#1 Son says, "Do you have any patience, B.B.?"
B.B. answers,"No."
"B.B. doesn't have any, Mom."
"He's just a baby. He doesn't even know what patience is!"
"Just Baby Girl and I have it. Where are my fries?!"

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

The boys used those sippy cups that had the flip up straws in them until they were thru kindergarten. They did the job of a sippy, but they're much cooler.

I am reminded of the old "Music Machine" song "Have Patience" that I sing to my own little people quite regularly.
"Have patience, have patience, don't be in such a hurry. When you get impatient, you only start to worry. Remember, remember, that God is patient too, and think of all the times when others haveto wait on you."

*as I typed that, I was singing it, Prophet says, "it's different when you're waiting to use the bathroom, you don't have to be patient."

Farm Fairy & Bruno said...

I figured out that Inklings family is driving by Ang's right now and then our place in 20 minutes.!!! Then just a little further to Canada...YAHOO!!!

Anonymous said...

Darn betablogger! I had a nice ol' comment typed in and then it zapped it and made me login. Shucks.

Anyway - now I have "Patience" by GnR stuck in my head...

(And too funny about the santa thing!)

Nan said...

Do kids EVER get too old for sippy cups? Not as long as they take them in cars or have to have water sitting beside their bed when they go to sleep. Sippy cups rule!

When I was in college I was determined that I wouldn't have a television or tell my kids there was a Santa Claus. I renigged on both for purely selfish reasons and many times wish I hadn't. You're a good Momma.

Lauren said...

Baby bear got her free pic with santa at wal-mart today, too. She didn't know what to think of the woman cross-dressed as santa. At least she didn't cry.

This worked out really well, since we were not going to bother with the whole "photo with Santa" thing, especially since she can't even talk yet.

Anonymous said...

Farm Wife used a tupperware sippy cup until she left home for college.

Lauren said...

i remember in college when a guy fell asleep on the couch at the student center... some girls painted his nails, and when he woke up, told him he only way to get the polish off was with gasoline. he walked around with nail polish for 2 days after that. oh, and he always reminded me of charlie brown in appearance, so that made it even funnier.