A Tale of Two Kids and a Retirement Party

Tale A: My beautiful Rylee Girl

My MILs retirement party was from 2 – 4pm last Friday at her bank. We drove in that morning, got to SA in time to change and head to the bank. Knowing that 2 hrs in a bank after a long car ride and no nap have potential for total kid meltdown, Chad smartly packed books and coloring materials for entertainment.

Because the bank was still open and there were customers trying to do business, we set boundaries of where the children could and could not go. About an hour into it, Rylee decides to see if I really meant it about the no-go zone. She took off running to another part of the bank. I must also offer this piece of trivia – the majority of the bank clientele that was walking around the lobby that day averaged the age of 75. There were lots of people with walkers and canes and not prepared to have a nearly 3 year old come whizzing by.

I chased her at a fast walk and trying to use my inside voice said “Rylee you are not supposed to be on this side of the bank – please go back to MiMi’s party.” She smiled and kept running. In a little bit louder of a voice I say “Rylee – enough! Now! WALK back to the party.” My child then crossed her arms in front of her chest, leaned on her hip, and very sternly with plenty of attitude (and I swear she bobbed her head too!) said “No.”

I have no idea what look I gave her – honestly I was so stunned at her defiance I may have blacked out – but what ever look it was made her eyes get really big and she ran faster than I have ever seen her back over to MiMi’s party and straight to MiMi.

My MIL who was in the middle of everything was so happy that her little granddaughter who had been so very shy up to this point had come over to see her. She scooped up Ry and started introducing her around.

I am sure my face was crunched up into something very ugly and I walked up to my husband and BIL and said “Unbelievable!” I told the story, thrust out my hip in the same way she did to put more emphasis on her shocking behavior and then pointed at my daughter that had been granted asylum in her MiMi’s arms. Both Chad and Todd cracked up – they thought it was hilarious. Todd said that Kendall probably taught her that and Chad said he thought it was a smart move by our daughter to head straight to MiMi – she knew what she was doing.

We all turn to look at the little angel who smiles at the three of us , sweetly touches MiMi’s cheek, and then lays her head down on MiMi’s shoulder to nuzzle in.

Tale B: My sweet Z

Dinner after the bank retirement party is at a small west Texas town’s dive famous for its amazing chicken fried steak – Lowake’s – and it is about 25 mins from my in-laws house. We have essentially gone from the bank to the house to regroup and then out to dinner. No rest for the weary or the children.

Not to shockingly my kids are bored and want to run around the restaurant. I hate that. I don’t like them running around because they may run into a server or disturb someone eating. I get why parents allow their kids to do that and I know that Lowake’s is not known for its linen table clothes and china plates but even those eating chicken fried steak do not need to listen to and watch my kids run.

I finally breakdown and tell Zachary they can go into the bar (I know!) and “play” the video games. There is a Ms. Pac Man, a hunting game with two pistols, and a “you’ll never get anything from here” claw game. Ry could care less if she is really playing the game or it is on its looped demo. She plays with the guns, presses buttons, and watches the screen. Z wanted to play but I honestly hadn’t brought my wallet with me (guess I presumed I wasn’t paying for dinner!) so I told him he would have to pretend.

One of other kids there, he is four, had been dumping dollar after dollar in that stupid claw machine. He had his heart set on the Nemo fish – it was purple by the way – not orange and white – not judging here just observing.

During this time my BIL gave Zachary a dollar and Kendall a dollar saying that PaPa Martin gave them money. So Zachary wanted to do the claw game. UGH. Oh well, his money and his decision. He just watched Gage lose at least five dollars total trying for a stupid fish. I told Z he would have to wait his turn and that he could do what he wanted.

Gage’s mom got him 8 more quarters and I watch each quarter go in and the claw just miss the Nemo eight more times. Gage was not a happy boy especially when his mom said that it was Zachary’s turn.

Z put his first quarter in the game and went for the Nemo. And holy crap – he got the freakin Nemo. First try. I couldn’t believe it.

Zachary then takes the fake purple Nemo fish and hands it to Gage. He told Gage that he knew Gage really wanted it.

Z proceeded to give the claw machine his last three quarters with no prize for him.

The pride I felt at that moment – I just reached down and kept squeezing him over and over. Telling him what a sweet and giving boy he is and he got very bashful. I was – AM – so very proud of him.

What of these tales?

There is no real lesson here other than I think they stories highlight what stage of life my children are in. Rylee is testing her boundaries and Zachary is becoming aware of other’s feelings. And I definitely need to chill out.