The Time of My Life: musings of a mommy-at-law: Double-booked

Last night, I realized that school would be closed today (I mean, I knew that all along, but it began to sink in) and Evan would be with us all day. Evan gets bored easily, so I decided I needed to plan an activity. I owed Charlie's dad a drop off play date. Last time Charlie's dad had Evan, I finished buying and wrapping all of my Christmas gifts, so I really owed him one. So, I looked for his phone number before dinner and couldn't find it. Since I had no phone number, I sent an e-mail proposing a morning play date if he got the e-mail in time. After dinner (and no reply yet from Charlie's dad), I got a call from Ethan's dad. Ethan's dad owed me a drop off play date because the last school holiday, I kept Ethan from 9 a.m. until about 1 p.m. so his parents could work that morning. Anyhow, Ethan's dad called an invited not only Evan, but Pressley too, for an afternoon play date with Ethan and Harper (who is Pressley's age). I quickly thought about it and decided to accept this play date in case the other one didn't materialize. After all -- I didn't want to end up with two bored kids and no plans on a school holiday.

This morning, my nephew, Will, called to say that my parents were going to meet he and Abby and my sister for lunch and thought we might want to come. I told him we had a play date at 1:00 and didn't think we could make it, but said that he should have his mom call me back when they decided where they were meeting and we'd see if we could swing it.

Then, around 9:30, I got the e-mail from Charlie's dad. "Charlie would love a play date. I hope it isn't too late!" Um, well, of course not! I looked around the messy house (and the kids still in their p.j.s) and quickly suggested that Charlie's dad meet us at Leapin' Lizards at 10:30 and the kids could still have about an hour and a half to jump together. And, we could still make it to our second (drop off) play date.

On the way to Leapin' Lizards to meet Charlie, my sister called back about lunch. I told her that we were now booked with back-to-back play dates and would have to take a rain check. When I got off the phone, Evan complained bitterly and tried to convince me we could squeeze in lunch with the cousins between the play dates. I had to nip that in the bud.

At Leapin' Lizards, Evan had a blast with Charlie and Pressley did her Pressley thing. We went home for a quick lunch and a quick pull-up change and back out the door to the second play date. I got to go to the grocery store ALL ALONE, which if you had told me five years ago would be that exciting I would have said you were crazy. But, there it is. I get a little high from going to the grocery store alone. I chuckle to myself as I walk past the obnoxious buggies with the cars and spaceships built in and I grab a normal buggy. I feel for the moms (though today it was mostly dads) who are telling their children to put that back and don't touch that and leave your brother alone....and I don't have to fuss at anybody. It is a truly wonderful thing.

We came home from the play date and I made a meatloaf and rice/lentil pilaf while the kids napped and then I came to the office to check e-mails and blog. When Evan woke up, you want to know what were the first words out of his mouth?? "Um, Mommy... When am I going to have another play date?"

Are you kidding me? Never, never enough.