About a month ago, J suggested that he take the girls on a daddy-daughter date train ride. The light rail commuter train runs a limited schedule on the weekends and he thought they could take it downtown, find dinner at a little restaurant, and ride home. Sounds like fun. Especially since kids under 6 ride free.
As the day approached, I told him I thought Z would be okay to take along. We could make it a family event. The stroller would fit on the train and he'd be fine if we took along enough snacks and toys to keep him busy.
This is how he spent most of the train ride...
We couldn't keep him in the stroller for the train ride because of the way the seats were arranged. He ran out of care for snacks and toys before the train ever started moving. He squealed/screamed most of the way, which was very embarrassing to us and irritating to fellow passengers. And he would not be still for anything! What was I thinking?!
He looks calm in the next photo, but notice how both my hands are engaged in keeping him from climbing over his sister's head? And notice her displeasure at having to share her window seat with the baby who keeps kicking her?
We did survive the ride downtown and J led us to a little crepe cafe he had discovered. We all love crepes! What a treat! You have to eat your savory crepe to earn a dessert crepe, which is really why we all love crepes. Chocolate and whipped cream folded into so much carb yumminess.
C sampled her first Orangina soda, one of J's fond throwbacks to our days in France. She told him, "Dad that orangina drink stings my tongue, but I'll still drink more for you." He might have gotten half of it.
It was almost yummy enough to forget that mommy and daddy had to take turns eating so that one of us could pace the sidewalk with our howler monkey. We were the poster child family for all the urbanites who needed a reason not to propagate.
The train ride back was very similar to the one going, except everyone was tired, it was close to bedtime, and mommy tried to savor the experience by forbidding iPhone play. I changed my mind, though, after it got dark outside and I couldn't force them to watch the world whizzing by out the window.
Chalk another adventure up to "let's try that again in a year or two."
1 comment:
Good to know we are not the only ones! riding on a train with a screaming boy sometimes :-)! you know these are memories y'all will laugh about later!
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