The Outing

Since Mom is off gallavanting with friends, my sister needs a sitter. My grandparents agreed to take the boys for the morning, if I would relieve them in the afternoon after school. Well, it turns out that I was off from school. Great idea: I'll spend the night with them, so the boys won't even have to get up when Krista goes to work. That's when the trouble started...
Jerrel scorned the idea of a sleeping bag- it made him hot. He coughed...a lot...all night long! This morning I woke up to the sounds of a little boy crying for his momma. Apparently he didn't understand the reason that Aunt Hoddy was spending the night! He was so pitiful; he just sat on the floor in his room crying until I woke up and got him. He was quickly soothed with an explanation (and a video ;-) Patrick woke up pretty soon after, and breakfast was a breeze. Next on the agenda: baths. Still, relatively drama free. Shortly after the baths Patrick decided to stir the toilet water with his hand. "No, no, Patrick!" Clean hand. Promptly shut same hand into cabinet. (Note: Patrick currently has a superhuman ability to be everywhere, into everything at once. It's truly amazing!) Kiss potty hand to make it better, then remember where it's been. Both boys and myself now finally dressed, I start to go out to the car. Oh yeah, that would require CARSEATS for both boys! Augh, I'm stranded! But I'm resourceful, right? I'll just load the boys into the cute, little red wagon and walk to the store. (Easier said than done, but I digress.) Soon we were on our way, rolling along to the store. The sidewalks are very rough, but the boys were great sports about the teeth-jarring ride. At the store we wheel through, gathering groceries. The novelty of the ride is beginning to wear off, and it is now time for Patrick's nap. I let both boys out of the wagon while I check out. "Ma'am, our debit isn't working. You've got to use a cheque or cash. Do you have a cheque or cash?" What do you think? "Is there an ATM around here?" "Oh, yeah! Try the bank across the street." Off we go, to the ATM. We roll into the bank, wagon and all. (Rather gracelessly, I'm afraid. Try pulling a large wagon through your bank sometime!) "Oh, I'm sorry, you'll have to use the drive through." (Hmmm, not very safe, but...) The boys & I then rolled through the bank's drive thru, just for the privilege of paying $3 in ATM fees. Back across the street to pick up my groceries. Okay, other than Patrick discovering the box of kleenex and redistributing them, we're good. We bump along home, enjoying the fine fall day. As we roll down their street, I turn to the boys to point out their house. "Look guys, we're almost home!" Well, when I turned, the front wheels did too...up a hill...tipping and dumping the wagon, boys, groceries and all, onto the sidewalk! Jerrel was fine, the groceries were fine, Patrick was NOT FINE! (Emphasis his) As I was soothing him, he fell asleep. So now I'm holding a 35 lb sleeping 1-yr-old, on the sidewalk, with my groceries spread out everywhere. Jerrel was a great helper, and carried my keys & purse inside so that I could put Patrick to bed before going back for the food & wagon. Daniel & I may never have children! BTW, both boys are fine, but Patrick did get a bruise on his forehead & cheek. (Sidewalks are tough that way...)