Day One Doozy

Not really a doozy. I have the ability to take moments of doozy-ness and construe them into an entire day.

We traveled here uneventfully. The only minor meltdown was the last thirty minutes of the flight when Gianna decided that she could no longer take it. It being sitting in her chair and not screaming and not kicking the seat in front of her. I traded the baby off to Jamie and physically restrained Gianna while I sat next to a very kind, understanding woman. She had just spent her week with her grandchild, she was properly prepared for the experience.

But even the kicking wasn't that bad.

We walked around a bit. Went to a park that Stella declared was "stupid" because all it had was "stupid grass." (And please, how do you keep you child from saying such things? Especially when you say them yourself? I know. Stop saying them, right? Easier said...) Had some cookie that Stella did not want because it didn't have sprinkles on it, ate some dinner at the local Chipotle and headed home.

Today the girls and I ventured forth on our own. We walked to a park on the verge of a nice part of town--the Pearl District--but still close enough to get some local "color." Some homelessness, if you will. Nothing I've not experienced before. Nothing that makes one worry about the proximity of your children to the activities being partaken of.

It's funny being in a city again. There are so many opportunities to judge other people. Like, why do those seemingly clean, normal teenagers sit in front of coffee stores all day begging for money (Hello, Santa Cruz!)? Why do so many people make it out of their homes in ill-fitting outfits? Why so much shouting?

At the same time it's nice to be able to walk. It's nice to pull the stroller over for a coffee. It was nice to not be in a car all day.

Yet I can see why people leave the city for the suburb once children are involved. It's an entirely different childhood. Country mouse, city mouse thing.

Like right now I can hear some people talking outside my window.

I'm also typing really fast because now that I'm doing the solo parenting at night while Jamie's taking his class I have even less time to do things like blog. It's constant putting out fires in someone else's small space.

But during the day I get to walk outside with the children, so I'm not complaining.

Gotta go get Rowena.