Earlier this summer, just before school let out, I mentioned that Connor joined a "Book Club for Boys" playgroup started by the mother of one of his classmates. The "book club" meetings are only about once a month because they involve some planning and preparation, but many of the members have been meeting just about every week for a simple get together at a park or other location to "play" together.
For a variety of reasons - mostly weather, a few logistical (that fun three-to-one ratio) and also Connor's extensive travel schedule - we've not made it to any since the first meeting. Sometimes I wonder how much of that is my own fear, that whole logistical thing, in taking three boys out by myself. I know other people do it, and I know other mothers are generally glad to help wrangle extra children on these events, but it's still hard. I'm not one who likes to ask for, much less expect, help. And my children require a different kind of help, at least one of them. So that makes it twice as hard.
But, my issues aside, I was determined we would go. It's the first time everyone has been home and healthy for one of the events in weeks, and I know Connor has been missing his friends. So, we got up a little early (for us anyway), packed the cooler and the truck, and headed out. We were headed to a local park on the other side of town, albeit 30 minutes after the others had surely already arrived. Morning people, we are not.
This particular park is nice, and we've been out there before, but mostly to watch cousins Austin and Kyndal play baseball and t-ball. This was our first trip with just the boys to the playground, and they had a great time. Connor especially liked seeing his friends for the first time in a while, even if he was a bit bashful at the beginning and the end of the day. And at four and a half, he's pretty trustworthy and self-sufficient, so I could concentrate on keeping tabs on the little guys and talking with the other moms in between reconnaissance missions. Sawyer and Xander were a bit all over the place, but that's to be expected. And I did have to wrangle Sawyer away from a few picnic tables with food and drinks (and people trying to enjoy them in peace), but all in all, they did well.
We ended the day at the food court at the nearby mall. And just so you can get the full picture, there were three adults and seven children ages 18 months to six years. We were like rows of soldiers walking in, as one of the kids put it.
That was a first for me, taking three little kids into a crowded place with no restraints during a busy lunch time. It went as well as could be expected. The two little ones were not much on the food (it wasn't McDonald's, so that pretty much says it all), but did snack and drink a little. Connor did wonderful, but he's used to eating out and loves almost all places (today's choice was Chick-fil-a). Sawyer did a lot of hopping and dancing and entertaining nearby diners, but wasn't too loud or too distracting (I hope). Xander was tired and a bit fussy toward the end, but also not bad. It was a good first time out, and now maybe Mommy will be brave enough to try it again.
And, I've saved the best for last. Our two potty training twins did all of this in big boy underwear without a single incident! We had two potty sessions at the public restroom at the park (always fun), and we washed hands inside the mall. We made it home clean and dry!
We're starting to do a few trips like this, here and there, and always where we know bathrooms will be nearby. But, Mommy also keeps hand towels in the bottom of the twins' car seats, just in case. Those car seat covers are not fun to pull off, even though they are washable. We also keep an extra set of clothes in the back for each twin, along with the still-there emergency diaper bag. And we even pack along the extra, full-size little potty, just in case the bathrooms aren't nearby!
Yeah, Mommy has a few issues. We know.