Dragon Palace

I was laughing as I put the boys to bed the other night. Lance had a bid on a large project that he was hoping to sign on and so it was going to be an evening spent solo with my two little guys. I thought about cooking...but decided not to. We had been home all day and I try to only eat 2 meals a day in this house even if one is spent picnicing outside. Have you ever eaten with a toddler and a 10 month old. Yikes. messy. Anyway...I decided to take the boys on a walk and see where dinner would find us tonight. We have a great area of town we live in and the shops near our house are very fun to window shop. So here I am peacefully strolling pulling a wagon full of 2 little boys who seem content and the evening air is just so crisp and yummy and summer is here. Finally.

I see the chinese restaurant before Jack does. He loves this restaurant. I'm not sure why. Could it be the dragons all over the windows? The bright red and gold decor? I dunno. I just know that something in me thought, "what the heck. Sure. Let's eat chinese." He was so thrilled I thought he might bust right out of his little camouflage shorts. I pulled Kempis out of the wagon and prayed a tiny prayer. Please don't let me lose control of these little dudes during the dinner hour buffet here at the Dragon Palace. At first everything went according to plan. I left the wagon outside...who would steal it right? Grabbed the organic teething buscuits and cookies i had toted along for emergency and headed in. Wow. Have chinese restaurants always been so dark? Where did my toddler go? Oh there he is...trying to make friends with an older couple at the corner booth. The lady was very kind and smiled but the gentlemen looked like his teeth may fall onto the table any minute and eyed my child as though he might try and steal his fortune cookie. And I believe that may have been next on Jack's list.

I payed for one buffet and thought we could all share. I spotted a table near the buffet and planted Kempis in a high chair, strapped him in, and then asked in my most nicest, yet still threatening mommy voice for Jack to sit still and mommy would get him something to eat. "okay mom." he said with big, awnry looking eyes.

I turned around and headed for the buffet and quickly spooned portions of vegtables and chicken and fruit on my plate. That's when it began.........

I hear a baby screaming. I look around. Surely that's not my baby. I just stepped away not 2 seconds ago...but then I remember...that's all it takes. Jack is jumping up and down in the booth. Kempis is crying extremely loud. "What did you do to him, Jack?" I ask. 

"I hit him." Jack states matter a factly with a grin on his face.

What is the punishment when you are in a restaurant with both kids and the oldest realized he can work this to his advantage? Time out? Not likely in this dark crowded restaurant I don't think it would actually work. Spanking? No. A hard pinch on the neck? Do I want both of them screaming? I'm beginning to question this spontaneous idea of eating dinner out. There is a reason you don't see this scenario very often in restaurants. Mommies alone with 2 small children...unless the mommy is taking large doses of Zanax. That would help. My anxiety level was beginning to rise.

"Ok Jack, I find myself pleading. If you sit here and eat your dinner quietly than you can have some jello and a cookie for dessert."

"I don't want jello or a cookie, mom."

"oh really? mmmm. ok. Well, mommy has paid for this buffet of MSG and we are going to eat it!"

I struggled through the meal and laughed at the irony of me feeding my kids off a plate loaded with salt and sauces while I had boxes of organic snacks on the table. What happened to the days of eating out and it being a relaxing experience with no dishes to clean up? I may not have dishes to clean up tonight but I was trading that for other unpleasant duties. Kempis was apparently really enjoying the egg fried rice because he would scream every time the spoon left his mouth for more. Jack could care less for the food but thoroughly enjoyed the porcelain dragons and chinese dolls quietly sitting on the little shelf above our table. 

After 15 minutes of attempting to be a mommy of spontaneous fun. I surrendered. Paid the bill and left...my kids had sauce and food all over their mouths, hands, feet and clothes. I had been puked on once on my back shoulder as I was trying to give K a good burp on the way out the door. And where was our wagon? I left it right here....Oh my. "where is the wagon mommy?" Jack asks.

"I don't know."

I look around everywhere. Surely no one had stolen our wagon. Did I miss the "NO PARKING YOUR WAGON" here sign? 

We start walking home and I spotted it. It must have "drifted" down the side walk and was just about to cross a busy intersection ahead of us about 20 feet away. 

I yell for Jack to hold my hand while I'm attempting to hold the box of organic cookies and my wallet and Kempis is half way on my hip and half way falling off of my hip. "Come on Jack-we gotta go get the wagon before it wheels into the street!" 

He squeals with delight at the notion of us even trying to run...and begins to do this "skip" like thing with his feet but then sord of pulls on my hand and we all fall to the ground. Luckily no one in this very attractive party were hurt and I had this image of an angel of God standing against the store front of one of these stores casually with an arm against the window pane with a smirk on his face. I had to laugh. For a moment at least. It just poured out of me. Jack is of course laughing hysterical because mommy is laughing and mommy is the rule keeper. Kempis I'm sure is just glad he did not get another bruise on his forehead for the day. I try to put myself together and we head towards the wagon. I buckle everyone in and head towards the house.

"Mom! Mom!" Jack screams.

"What?!!?"

"I think I smell a poopy diaper on Kempis"

mmm. Pure Delight. And the adventures go on............