Pumpkin Field

Oh today started off with the best of intentions and plans...... Mr. T had his preschool field trip to the pumpkin patch and Miss E had school which meant that I was going to get to go alone with only him to the pumpkin patch! This is good because:

1) He needs and deserves one-on-one time

2) The pumpkin patch is a ridiculously miserable place to take 2 small children by yourself, even on a field trip. I did it 2 years in a row hauling Mr. T in a sling, dealing with a 2-3 year old Miss E all while trying to carry a diaper bag, the pumpkins and take pictures. And then it's rainy and muddy. Last year I decided no more. We were not heading tot he pumpkin patch under any circumstances without a 1:1 adult/kid ratio.

3) Miss E, being Miss E and the oldest kid, can sometimes have a tendency to make any situation that is not for or about her miserable for the rest of us. 

So, all was well, I would drop her off at school, Mr. T and I would head on our field trip and then we would pick her up. Until we got to school and found out there was no school for her class that day. Uh oh. No day care either because all other classes had school - just not her kindergarten. This is the sort of thing I usually don't screw up but here we were. She was pissed and I was.... well, in a nice way I was apprehensive. In a not so nice way, I almost felt like crying as I was envisioning the morning of her being rude and snotty to both of us and ruining Mr. T's school trip. (I'm not claiming to be mother of the year here, but I am honest). So, we carried on, changed plans, headed home to get her some boots (as she complained the whole way) and drove out to meet his class. On the way I reminded her of how fun her Pre-K pumpkin patch trip was last year and how special it was and how we were going to make sure Mr. T got the same thing. Then when we got there I asked if she would be the photographer and take photos of us. 

You know what? It was a fantastic trip. She was nothing but nice and polite and helpful. She took a tun of fun and creative pictures and Mr. T had fun with his friends and his teacher (he LOVES her) It was just a pleasant trip all around. I could not have been more proud of my two kiddos and you know what? I might change my declaration about the kid/adult ration and take them alone again. It was not hard. That is the beauty of your kids getting older. You miss the baby stuff and it seems like time is flying by but then there are moments like this that I look around and think, you know, this growing up stuff isn't so bad after all.