Thursday, April 2, 2009

Let's See If I Can Describe...

OH, how I wish I had a picture to share! Let's see how good of a writer I can really be....=)

So today after Bible Study, several of us ladies were all standing around, and the idea of lunch was brought up. We end study at 11:30, so the thought of catching a quick bite to eat all together today was a good idea. Let me paint this picture...

We get to El Pollo Loco, push four tables together and gank all the high chairs the restraunt has to offer. There are now seven women and six kids sitting around these tables, for the most part it was kid, adult, kid, adult, etc. Now, mind you, the oldest child at this table was my friend Bekah's 20-month old, Luke, making Savannah the second oldest and the youngest child about 9 months old.

This was a riot! As the lunch process went on, you could totally tell that we women came in thinking this would be a fun time to chit chat and enjoy each other, but slowly, very slowly the stress of feeding these children and almost being outnumbered began to rise. Not to mention, that we all got the biggest hoot out of watching each parent and child duo. You know, there were the ones that had the high chair covers and the ones who didn't. The ones who ate off the table, the ones who ate off a plate, the one who carry around the disposable table placemats, and the ones who needed to borrow one of those placemats. You saw moms who bought their kid a meal and those who packed their kid's lunch. Moms whose kids drank out of bottles, cups, straws, juice boxes. The moms who meticulously tore apart each bit of food into tiny pieces, the ones who figured the kid could handle some chunks on their own, and the moms still spoon feeding.

You could watch everyone watching everyone as the stress levels began to rise. Of course, some children were easy and laid back, others were not having as much fun, and then there was the two "oldest" who we allowed to run around after painstakingly failing at keeping them in a chair. In one aspect I was impressed, all of our children new their mother's voice, and all of them knew to obey. Disciplining your child in front of others can be so uncomfortable. There was a moment when I thought Cynthia was going to have watch me spank Savannah, but she soon gave in to my most threatening tone to SIT in her chair.

Needless to say, after about an hour, of which no real adult conversation took place, we all smiled graciously at each other, and left the restaruant much quicker than we had entered--all wanting to avoid the inevitable afternoon naptime break downs. I LOVE my friends. I LOVE the group of women I get to interact with, and I LOVE being a mom. Where else can you find such cheap entertainment?

5 comments:

AmandaE said...

I totally loved lunch! It was great entertainment, although I'm sure some of the moms would disagree! :)

Cool Mom said...

I see the "picture!" Ha ha! I've been in many pictures like that myself in times past! Who needs an actual photo when you can "paint" with words like you do, Jennifer! I love it. It made me laugh!

Bekah said...

Lunch was so very hillarious and stressful!!! You painted the picture perfectly. Truly it took a couple of hours for my blood pressure to come down! I am only doing lunch with everyone again if there is a playground involved. Savannah was such a cutie!

Lisa B. said...

I can totally see it! And I've been there a time or two :) Sounds like you did a great job seeing the humor and not being stressed! Of course, your ability to laugh in most any situation is one of the things I remember best about you:)

Dezirae said...

Praise the Lord, the Estes boys were not there to add to the madness...I would have been the mom with the diddy spoon who did not care what any other mom thought of my discipline techniques, knowing my kids would eat off of the table the chunks they certainly could handle....Ha Ha!!