What Money Just Can't Buy

Yesterday, Beth, over at I Should Be Folding Laundry asked her readers to leave her a comment telling her what they would buy if money were no object. I told her I would go out right this very minute and get a tummy tuck. I so envy people who have babies and then immediately are able to put their normal jeans back on. My ten pound babies stretched my skin to the limit. That, combined with my wickedly slow metabolism, German background (Good strong, big boned women!!), and poly cystic ovary syndrome left me with a lot of stretched out left over skin that will not return to it's normal shape no matter how much weight I lose, or how much I exercise and do crunches. It blows.

But, there is something I yearn for even more than that, and unfortunately it isn't something money can buy. What I really want? Is to be able to go somewhere like a doctor's office, a church, or a grocery store, and to think nothing of it. To be able to have each of these events be a calm experience. One where you are not trying to constantly keep your kids quiet. Where your heart is not pounding because you are just waiting for one of them to loose it, and then have to deal with it like it is really no big deal and be utterly calm about the whole thing.

Yesterday Evan had to go in to the eye doctor for a 6 week progress check. I took Sam and Charlie with me, as it was right after school and we would have to fly to get there in time, and also because I hate having to ask my mom all the time to watch the kids. Big mistake. Let it suffice to say that the doctor actually asked me not to bring them back for any of Evan's other appointments. I can kind of see her point, as it was hard for Evan to concentrate on what she was asking him to do, and I wasn't even able to talk with her about his progress because I could tell they were aggravating her. A lot. On the other hand, our appointment was at 4:00, and the tech didn't even come into the room until 4:45. The doctor didn't arrive until 5:10. Toddlers don't do well stuck in a small room for over an hour. I was so embarrassed I wanted to cry. I don't think their behavior was all that terrible, they were just being toddlers. I guess there are just certain situations that toddlers don't mix with.

Now I am in a pickle though. Evan goes to weekly therapy sessions, and check ups to this doctor every 6 weeks. That's a lot of time that the babies won't be able to come with us. I have no idea how that will work out.

I did dish out some tough love afterwards though. I had told the babies that if they were very good at the doctor we would go to McDonald's for dinner. Since they obviously didn't cut the mustard with their behavior, I bought dinner at McD's for everyone but them. They had a microwave pizza instead, and we made a huge deal out of how yummy our fries were, and how sad it was they hadn't made better choices at the doctor's so they could have some too. It made a BIG impression. Hopefully one that lasts.