So, we went to a spring training game on Tuesday...it was fun--but very hot, and I literally did not watch one play of the game. I am not sure why I still think that an outing with 2 kids will be a relaxing event. Yet somehow, I build these things up in my mind only to be let down at the end of the day; for this particular event, I imagined us lying on a blanket--me tanning my blindingly white legs, while Jane snoozes in the shade of an umbrella. Matt and Jack would be yelling, "Hey, Batter Batter!" and eating peanuts. The breeze would be blowing through my hair while Jack sits STILL talking about baseball the whole time with his Dad.
Don't let the cute pictures fool you. This did NOT happen.
We DID eat peanuts and lie on a blanket in the grass. But we sweat our butts off, Jane cried for awhile and I ended up standing with her under the scoreboard in the shade for almost the entire game, all the while chasing Jack and trying to keep him within arm's length. I had to take him in the bathroom to discipline him for being ornery and we left at the 7th-inning stretch.
As we walked to our car, Matt asked me, "So you really thought this was a good idea, huh?" We both laughed and agreed that it still was a good idea...we just need to tweak our (or MY) expectations, and everything will be great because it won't be living up to some standard I've already created in my mind.
Why do we, as parents, do this? I think of so many different events that a family is just "supposed" to do...and then I create a storyline in my head of how the event will be, what the weather will be like, how my kids will react and how there will be tons of great photo ops and we'll all go home fat and happy for a good night's sleep.
The funny thing is, I will probably do this again in the next week when another opportunity to create memories arises, only to be disappointed on the drive home, tired and whiny kids in the backseat and no plans for dinner...I'm learning slowly but surely that I will have a bunch of great memories regardless--they will just be REAL, rather than scripted and untarnished.
And hey--would you LOOK at the arms on my husband? I should be happy with those and call it a day!
1 comment:
They best memories are the ones that don't go as planned. They are the easiest to remember!
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