going out to eat

I love to go out to eat.  I swore that life would never intervene when it came to enjoying a restaurant monthly.  Yesterday was a perfect opportunity.  Brendan finished finals, he wanted to relax and celebrate.   My sister and brother in law were in town.  Great.  Celebrate.  Unfortunately, the girls had a different plan.   There were a lot of people (9 total) that had to get going.  It is a huge task. 

I had all of mine "check out" before going.   Once we took care of that business, we could put on hats, gloves, boots etc.  Long process.  Then we can get mom ready - one more trip to the bathroom.  Then out the door.  But wait, we had just moved the car seats around to help Auntie out.  Add 10 minutes.   Then we had to get everyone in a car seat.  

Still waiting.  Waiting. 
Then we were leaving and a car got between us in the alley and then got stuck.   Wait.

Then we went to go around the block to reunite with the other car.  Oops, they went somewhere to find us.  Wait.

Time to help the car that got stuck.  Wait.

Then we get to the restaurant.  Magically they have a seat ready for 9.  Super.  Oh... sitting next to a single diner who wants nothing to do with kids.  Wait and try to keep them quiet.    Assess the situation.  Crap.  No diaper bag, no snacks.  Three very hungry kids.   I usually pre-feed them so that they aren't hungry at the restaurant table.  As a back up I have a snack in the diaper bag.  Crap.  No diaper bag.   Wait wait wait for the server who has the whole place by herself.  Wait.

Brendan ran out to one car to get snacks.  Wait.  B spills her water cup on auntie and uncle.   More baby yelling.   Wait. They finally get their own towel from the kitchen. 

Snack arrives and disappears in the same instant.  Everyone has 3 hello pandas and are quiet for those 3 milliseconds.    Auntie is sent to the other car for more snacks.   Wait.  

Relief in the form of nilla wafers and Japanese carrot balls for babies.  Dang.  Big ones want to eat the snacks but the little one is the hungry one.  Nana is trying to doll them out slowly.  Lonely diner is only getting more annoyed.  We are all trying to quiet the herd of babies.  No one is talking or relaxed.  Wait for dinner. 

Oh, then my most favorite restaurant item anywhere arrives.  No lie.  It is here and those hungry little ladies ate them.  They didn't eat them the other two times I have offered it and ordered them one.  Nope, just today when I was excited for it.  At least it was quiet and dry for a little while.   Food arrives and I am split between trying to get touched by dirty hands and trying to get people to eat.    Trying to split my attention and participate in the conversation and try to make sure other people are having fun and not getting annoyed with the kids, with the food, with each other.   Wait wait wait until ... I can go home.

Sure, the food was great.  No major disasters happened, but it is a lot of work, even with 2 adults to every baby to manage kids in public.   I will still do it, but I think smaller groups (as counter intuitive as that might sound) might be easier.  I know our crazy.  I am prepared for the water spills and the food on the floor.  We have a system.  I don't have to do all of those things and try to make conversation and try to keep other people from being embarrassed by the disruption our clan can bring. 

I know, I know.  Everyone will tell me it isn't a big deal.  They wouldn't ask us to go if they weren't prepared for the crazy.  It is my problem.   I try to make everyone happy and get what they want out of a situation.   It is like ordering pizza with a group.  Everyone has their idea of a dream pizza, but settles for pepperoni so as not to rock the boat.   That is dumb to me.  If you are going to go and do something, you should get what you want out of the activity.  

Very few people want to leave dinner with wet pants, not talking to anyone and getting dirty looks from the people around you.   Oh well.  The food was good, the ladies ate dinner (one could be seen licking her plate) and no one complained to us.   On my end it was a success.  For others in the restaurant, I think they were happy they were either a) done with kids or b) put off having kids for a while.