R had orientation at the camp that is going to entertain her five days a week this summer. T had signed her up for half days but it turns out all her little friends are registered for full days, so from 9 to 5 every weekday this summer, R will be out of the house. J will also have day camp, but his is drastically shorter and doesn't start yet.
So today while T was gone, I had two boys, who both behave MUCH better when they are alone with me. Funny how that happens.
We all made French toast together, the children's first experience eating it, and then T and R headed out and I packed up the boys to take them out to the bayside park I am so happy is there.
We walked up to the pier and, my goodness, I should have taken my camera. There were no less than five million seagulls (or baygulls) lining the hand rail and every plank of wood was literally COVERED in dukie. We walked out to the end of the pier and the birds left in waves as we approached them. We passed two brutally murdered and mangled crabs, outlined in chalk while the crab forensics teams were busy taking pictures of the atrocities that had been committed in what they thought was a nice neighborhood.
We pushed on to the playground then, but J wanted to see the pool first. There are two, a kiddie pool and a real one, both surrounded in those high class blue poolside chairs that are always at the nicest hotels in movies.
There were signs posted that no lifeguard was on duty and that the pool was not yet open for the season, but we hadn't intended to swim anyway. I agreeably pushed the double stroller up the hill so the boys could see the water and as we approached the gate, a voice from down at the office building beside the park yelled, "YOU CAN'T GO IN THERE!" And he called me ma'am.
Rude.
I yelled back that they just wanted a look and that I had no plans to take two toddlers swimming, alone, with no lifeguard on duty. Duh.
But he stood there and waited until we came back down the hill anyway.
We went to the swings and the playground and I think I impressed J with my participation in climbing playground equipment. I've never been the waiting-on-the-bench type. I will bring a book on occasion, if there are a lot of other kids for my kids to play with. But there was no one but us and I'm not about to sit down while my one poor little two year old tries to entertain himself when he's so used to his sister romping around with him.
I showed him how to climb up the tunnel slide and even pushed Baby I through while we yelled, "Daaaaaaaadddddy!"
I had excellent service so I made a few phone calls. Only my sister answered, so I gabbed with her until I lost my signal again a while later.
On the walk home I went the extra long way around the block and both kids passed out, as according to plan.
J woke up first and I fed him lunch successfully with no tears for the first time. He's getting more used to me, and he's definitely learning that unlike Mommy, I'm not screwing around.
Meal time is meal time and I am making one meal and you are eating it. This had actually come up in my conversation with my sister today. Why are all two year olds anorexic? Still, with the right instructions and rituals, meal time has become clearly defined with J in the course of two weeks. I'm hoping T gets on board soon because it will certainly make her life easier.
Now it's nearly 5 and I haven't heard from T all day and I have no idea when to expect her back. I have done all the laundry and cooking and cleaning that I am subject to do in one day, and I'm starting to wonder if she has run away from home or been slaughtered by the Long Island serial killer I just learned about today.
New York is living up to its reputation; a killer and a robbery!
Oh, and T informed me today that the robber who has been striking in the neighborhood was spotted in a red sports car. He's probably broke from trying to afford the gas to run a sports car in New York. I guess he'd rather turn to a life of crime than sell his car.
No comments:
Post a Comment