I forget sometime that I have 4 children. (No, I don't mean that I forget children or how many I have. I mean I forget the craziness that 4 children can be.)
I also forget that the hours between 6 and 8 pm can be rough for my kiddos.
I forgot both of these things a few weeks ago.
Tom was out with his friends for a guy night and I didn't feel like cooking dinner. I did, however, realize that I needed to feed my children.
Did I do something as simple as driving through McDonald's?
No. That would have been smart.
I decided to take my kids out to dinner.
At a restaurant.
ALL of them.
By myself.
And did we just go to dinner?
Oh no.
We were at the mall.
I dragged them into about 10 stores first.
So they were not in the best mood when we finally got to Ruby's.
And as soon as we were seated, BabyGirlie decided that would be an EXCELLENT time to through a temper tantrum.
As I was dying due to mortification (we had just ordered and I couldn't leave), everyone around us helped me out.
The lady at the table next to us helped my kids set up their paper cars to color.
The gentleman at the table across from us played peek a boy with BabyBug.
I was able to calm BabyGirlie down quickly because I didn't have to worry about the other 3.
My server brought BabyGirlie crackers to shut her up and sent the Balloon Lady over STAT.
And as I was teary eyed, apologizing to everyone, all of them told me to stop it.
That they had been there.
That it was a family restaurant.
That it was okay.
My server comped two of the kids' meals. (Sarah at Ruby's in Mission Viejo. She's fabulous.)
As the elderly lady next to us was leaving she came over and complimented me on my children's behavior and my parenting: "Your kids were great. I didn't hear a peep out of them. And kudos to you for bringing them out to dinner and making them mind."
Maybe I'll brave a restaurant again.
In 5-10 years.
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