Lesson Learned

The lesson I learned today is: Drive to the park.  Don't walk with 4 children under the age of 8.

Here's how I learned this vital piece of knowledge.

(A little context).
Wes' family is coming into town today and tomorrow for Kinsley's baby blessing.  And of course we have been very busy as a family with the four kiddos and it being summer break and so the house has gotten a little disgusting dirty.

Wes asked me last night if I wanted him to do anything before he went to bed to help clean before his family came.  But I felt a little bad asking him to help since he is up with me most nights helping sooth Kinsley or Sadie AND instead of cleaning myself last night I was working out.  :) (How can you ask someone to clean if you aren't going to be cleaning too?)  So I told him no.

So today was the day I cleaned.  Which meant the kids were pretty much on their own to entertain themselves AND keep things picked up that I already cleaned.

About 3:30 I finished everything.  The kids were BORED which was easy enough to tell because they were picking on each other rather than playing together.  So I said we should go to the park.

After a quick prayer in my mind that no one would get hurt, off we go.  Jared's on his scooter.  Novalee's on her bike.  I'm pushing Sadie in the stroller and Kinsley is wrapped in the Moby wrap on my chest.

We are at the park less then 10 minutes when Jared decides to show me a cool trick at the skate park, somehow causes himself to come to a dead stop, doubles in half and lands on his head and knees.  Then crumples into a ball in the middle of the skating area and starts crying.

Great.  So now what.  Not to be heartless but Jared is a little dramatic.  (I'm not sure where he gets that from. ;)...)  So I'm not super concerned that he is seriously, SERIOUSLY hurt but he's probably just hurt enough that it really hurts.  But when he claims he can't get up, as a parent you have to take that seriously because what if it really was something more.  So into the skate pit I go, leaving Sadie on the sidewalk in the stroller, I'm holding Kinsley's head because she doesn't want it wrapped up in the wrap and try to determine if Jared really is hurt and mentally trying to decide what to do if he is.

How do you carry a 7 year old, a 1 month old, a scooter AND push a stroller?

I'm pretty sure it won't work.

After a short inspection it looks like Jared is fine but banged up.  I tell him that if he gets himself up to a standing position I will piggy back him out of the pit which he agrees to.

So while hold Kinsley's head with one hand I hoist Jared onto my back and walk back up the ramp and set him down on the edge of the park.  ALL the while several teenage boys and a family are looking on. Great.   

He still claims he can't walk and asks me to carry him home on my back.

Really?

A little frustrated I did remind Jared that I wasn't superwoman and probably couldn't carry EVERYTHING home.  :)

It's amazing how quickly he recovered when he realized he wasn't going home without walking.

Up he gets and starts walking home.  I had to tell him to wait for us. :)

And so with one hand carrying the scooter that's partially in the stroller and pushing the stroller.  And with the other hand holding Kinsley's head we walked home.

Thankfully Novalee didn't get hurt too or else we would have been toast!

I hate being told I can't do things and I hate feeling limited but I'm pretty sure we can't go to the park anymore unless we drive.

Lame.

Jared's battle wounds.  Good thing he was wearing a helmet.