Papa Razzi

Just so you know, it's not all fun & glory with two kids. Am I painting that picture through prior posts? Well, it's just not so. Yesterday, for example, was slightly disastrous. I took both kids, along with my grandmother, to Papa Razzi for lunch. I did this with the best of intentions: spend some time with Mama, get Drew out of the house, begin bringing Dean out-and-about. I knew as soon as I got in the car that Dean would wake up during lunch in need of a feeding. I forewarned my grandmother (who insisted I could nurse in this slightly-upscale restaurant) . We decided to sit in a booth near the back (in case I did get up the nerve to breast feed there) but high chairs were not permitted (fire hazard) so Drew was in a booster seat. The trouble began immediately.

Drew engaged in ALL of the following:
* Coloring on the table cloth and napkins (white linen of course)
* Screaming (high pitched, I'm-trying-to-annoy-you screams)
* Hitting Mama
* Throwing cars
* Throwing food
* Spilling sippy cup...or rather pouring contents of sippy cup
* Taking off sandals
* Climbing out of booster seat
* Forcefully pulling table cloth - knocking off several items

We thought moving to a high chair (at another table) might settle him a bit. We were wrong. He engaged in all the same behaviors (see above list) minus the climbing. ARGH!

Of course, as we're moving from one table to another (btw, the staff was so pleasant about it all: "Boys will be boys" ha ha...), Dean wakes up hysterical. So while lugging my infant seat, lunch box, wild child, and diaper bag...the restaurant is watching because screams are emerging from the infant carrier. I take Dean out to my stifling hot car to nurse him. I turn on the car for AC and listen to three minutes of seat-belt-alarm-beeping before deciding I'd rather sweat than hear that noise any longer. I soon return to the restaurant, where Mama (God bless her) is kindly managing my abusive son (yes, he's hitting her - what the *&^%?!?). We're both dumbfounded by Drew's behavior...the meal is anything BUT relaxing...and I'm sure I'll never dine out peacefully again.

Needless to say, life with children is not always glorious.