Mobbed

Last night found me lying on the sofa, head splitting, back aching, and crying tears of exhaustion and frustration.  I was telling the Mister how I want to be a patient, fun, and sweet mother.  How I want our boys' childhoods to be full of wonderful, exciting experiences and memories.  And yet how I feel so thwarted sometimes by the unending cycle of bathrooming and grooming and dressing and feeding.  Broken by the bad behavior and disobedience.  Discouraged by the Herculean task of packing diapers, wipes, changes of clothes, spare underwear, Epi-Pens, water bottles, snacks, picnic lunches, picnic blankets, baby blankets, coats, hats, balls, toys, etc. and then carrying it all up the steps and unfolding the stroller and packing it all into the stroller and then doing the same with babies.  Just to spend a couple hours outside.  A couple very needed hours, where my big rascal can run and jump and explore, so that at home he'll be a little less rascally.  Where we don't have to use inside voices and take care not to bump the neighbors' doors.  Where we can do something--anything--other than build another Lego house.  Where cracker crumbs may fall with abandon.  Where there's never a request to watch Mickey Mouse.

It's like all the world is our oyster if we could just get out the dadgum door.

So, my favorite problem-solver formulated a plan of attack.  Get up early.  Get dressed.  Leave the apartment when he leaves for work.

I tumbled out of bed this morning and straight into the shower, according to plan.  And do you know there was a rainbow reflected on the wall of the tub?  Kept me company the whole time and made me smile.

With the Mister's kind help, we made it out the door with him and walked him to work.  I enjoyed a little morning conversation with my husband, something we don't often get.  And the boys got to see Daddy go into work, which was a big delight.

Then, we were off to the races.  Stairs to jump, fountains to watch, birds to chase.

 Soccer balls to kick, benches to climb, sticks to wave.

Sights to see, people to watch, blankets to crawl.

All the usual stuff, until...

Buddy Boy got mobbed!

This was seriously the funniest thing I have seen in a long, long time.  A big group of tourists on their way to the White House spotted babykins on his blanket and absolutely descended upon him.  They didn't speak any English, but they were all talking in a frenzy, making baby noises and waving their arms, taking pictures and posing with him.  It was hilarious!  One lady chased Little Guy around in a circle, trying to get his picture, too, and scared him half to death.

Then, once we thought all the excitement was over and Little Guy had come out from behind my legs, a couple tourists came back for more!  This lady had me take picture after picture after picture on her camera, and then got her husband to take one of her with me.  I could not stop laughing, and am even laughing now, thinking about how crazy they were going over Buddy Boy.

It was a good morning, followed by blissfully sound naps.  That brilliant husband of mine knew we just needed a little nudge and a little help to get out into that oyster world of ours.

I bathed under a rainbow this morning.

I breathed fresh air.

I walked far enough to clear my mind.

I loved on two little mob-worthy boys.

Things are looking better today.