Not-So-Grand Finale

A few hours ago, the kids and I returned from our last trip to Wildwood for the season.  It was "not awesome" as Jack would say although the gods did smile on me for Natalie slept in the car and successfully transitioned to bed when we got home.  There were lots of factors working against us -- Natalie hasn't been sleeping well, Jack got shots on Monday (and has an enormous, worrisome chicken pock on the site of his varicella vaccination) and I'm just generally tired and cranky these days.  All signs pointed to staying home but the cake was ordered for Jack and Auntie's joint celebration and my Gram was anxiously awaiting our arrival.

The kidlets and I went to the boardwalk last night b/c I was DYING for some Sam's Pizza.  The line was out the door when we got there so even though I was starvin' like Marvin, I figured we'd do the rides and then eat.  They enjoyed the rides with the exception of the dune buggies which scared them silly.  I haven't laughed that hard in a long time, earning me no "mother of the year" nominations from anyone near us.  Whatev.  Natalie swore off rides after that and when I had to haul Jack over a fence b/c he was having a screaming fit over another kid riding the chariot that he wanted to ride, I decided we better eat posthaste or we'd all go off the deep end.  Get the the restaurant, Natalie won't get out of the coach b/c she's afraid someone will steal it.  Seriously, I'm the most paranoid person going but I would have given a thief the coach, my iPod and pretty much anything he wanted just to enjoy 2 slices of heavenly goodness.  No luck.  Short of carrying her and the coach she was gripping into the place, I had no choice but to go home.

As I dragged them both off the boardwalk, me starving and them screaming, I hissed, "WELL.  We are NOT coming back to the shore again this year!!!  It's DELAWARE for us."  Somehow that last part wasn't as horrible and threatening to them as it would be if someone said it to me.  Anyway, school starts in a couple of weeks and I knew from the start that this would be our last trip for the season.  They didn't, though, so I said it to punish them, basically because I am an evil, hateful bitch when I'm hungry.  Jack was begging for a second chance which he is big on when he has to face the consequences of his actions but I reminded him in a less-than-Mary-Poppins-voice that he brought his troubles on himself.  *sigh*  Not my finest moment in motherhood.  I could blame it on the pregnancy but that would be a lie -- My Mr. Hyde persona always comes out when I'm hungry.

Today was mostly a better day.  We are all happy with our butts in the sand and our feet in the ocean.  Jack chirped about all the fun trips we'll be taking to Gigi's beach house next summer the whole ride home.  2 preschoolers and an infant?  Oy, I better start eating my wheaties now.