5.10.2006

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for...

We have a ritual in our home. We practice it every time we're leaving the house or when we're switching activities. I'll illustrate it for you.

On Wednesdays, the boys go to art at 10 am. We leave around 9:30 to pick their little friend up and head to San Jose for the class. I had all the kids dressed and buckled in their car seats. I looked back at Abigail and asked, "Do you want your blankie?"
"Yeah!" she enthusiastically replied.
I told the boys, "I am just going to run in and get her blanket and oh," as I saw that neither of them had socks, "I'll also get your socks."
I ran in the house thinking her blanket was still in the bed. But I looked and it wasn't there. Where could it be? I looked in her room, our room, and the boys room while getting their socks. Not there. I guessed that she didn't really need her blanket and wondered why I asked her if she wanted it in the first place. I also told myself that prompt people don't do these things when they are trying to leave the house. I quickly re-poured my coffee into a to-go mug, and surveyed the scene in the van. Oliver's hair was sticking up and both boys had grubby play clothes on. I told myself that their attire was perfectly acceptable and that I still had dignity as a mom. We were off.
The day moved on, we came home and it was time for Abigail-who-always-sleeps-with-her-blanket to have a nap. Oh, no. I remembered that I never found it. It's ritual time again. I decided that bribing would really work on the boys, so I offered chocolates to anyone who either found the blanket or looked hard. Just for fun I asked Abigail, "Where is your blankie, sweetie." She said, "bed." Oh, how cute I thought and said, "you left it in your bed?"
"yeah." she replied.
I knew it wasn't there...we looked everywhere. I am a seasoned mother. I know the possibilities of a toddler hiding something. I looked in cabinets, closets, hampers, under beds, and even toilets (while praying,"please, no.") It was gone. No chocolate for anyone.
During the search, I found Abigail in my closet and asked her one more time, "Is your blanket in the closet, Abigail?" She said, again, patiently, "bed." I was beginning to believe her. I began to carefully pull the sheets back one by one. There it was. So much for my mommy skills. I should have listened to my two year old. Finally, perhaps an hour later, I could put her down for her nap.
Chocolate for everyone.

And so it goes. Something similar to the above happens all the time with us. Now, you know. You never have to wonder why we're late again or why it takes us so much longer than normal people to get things done.
Now, if I could just find where I put my mind....

1 comment:

Jean Joiner said...

You're hilarious, Kate. I love you and miss you!