Date Night

Friday night we were to have our weekly date night. But the big girls all requested permission to 'do stuff.' Two wanted to attend a church function. One had a play date with a friend moving back to her home country soon. Our Firstborn, who normally babysits, would not be home. So, we took the "Two Turks" as we call them on our date. We ran into a family we know at the mall, they greeted us and said, "You look....you look...." I said, "I know what you are going to say, "Normal." She said, "Yes!" Two kids, manageable. We hardly knew what to do with our manageable selves.

We ate a bit of Chinese and got them a happy meal to split. Bad idea. Big Ben had wolfed his half down before we ever got our food. I ordered an extra rice to remedy the problem. Then we passed by the toy store. I said, "Let's just be normal all the way around. Don't normal people take a stroll through a toy store with their 2 kids?" So we did. Here is B anticipating going in.

Oh and then he spotted the rides. I told CC, "Let's just get them a token. Normal people only have to buy 2 tokens for all their kids to ride. Let's be normal." B enjoyed his ride best in the floorboard of the car.

Fully three years older, Perma-Baby was slightly apprehensive of her ride. I promised her that her 18 month old baby brother would protect her. She would only ride with his 'help.' Fortunately for her, he wanted to ride in the floorboard, so she got the seat.

But soon, the ride was over. And a monster emerged. B did not want the ride to be over. CC said, "See, this is why we don't do normal things. Now he's going to beg for rides every time."

Next thing I knew, B was slung over his Papa's shoulder and I heard, "No kid of mine is acting like that!" He had a nice training session about how to be thankful and not scream for more right there in the mall. And that, my friends, was the most normal thing we did all night!