Drama at the zoo

4/8/10We met up with my cousin Amber's family at the zoo. We had a blast, especially Lila who was personally carried around like a queen by Amber's husband Kevin. He was so sweet to hold her the whole time and listen to her chattering narration about the animals. She REFUSED to go in her stroller. I felt kind of bad because it was a mini-vacation for them and Lila stole all of the attention Nathan should have been getting from his dad. Lila had just met her cousin (first cousin once removed I think... but who actually says that?) for the first time (the weekend before at a family gathering and she was so excited when I told her we were going to the zoo with "Naysa" (pronounced like NASA, but with a long a).

It was a really fun day until Lila started throwing a huge fit. I decided it was probably nap time so I tried to put Lila in the stroller so we could head out. We were by the pandas--pretty much the back of the zoo, so we had a ways to go. Lila's fit was getting worse and worse. She wouldn't go in the stroller and she was screaming and flailing as I tried to keep her head from crashing on the pavement. Miles was in the moby wrap and I had a bucking bronco child falling off my hip and what did I do but decide to take the worst possible way back up to the exit up a HUGE and STEEP winding hill. I had a baby strapped to my chest, a crazed child on the verge of crashing on the ground at any moment, and I was pushing a huge double stroller for at least 30 minutes until we finally made it out of the zoo. I don't think I can describe the nightmare that it truly was in a way that gives is justice. I am being sincere when I say I consider it a miracle we all made it out of there alive. I was so close to asking someone to call security to pick us up and get us to our car pronto.

Many people gave me dirty looks, one said I deserved a super mom award, and two ladies who were pushing peaceful children in strollers behind me said they kept wanting to stop and take a breath for air since the hill was so tiring but since they were following me they told themselves if I could do it, so could they. That was encouraging. There was a nice little family walking near us for a good while. I looked at the dad and said loudly above Lila's blood curdling screeching, "Please tell me your kids aren't always angels." Luckily he appeased me by saying "definitely not." Also encouraging. Miles started whimpering a bit, probably because his ears hurt from Lila's screaming, and an old woman told me "your baby looks distressed." Gee, thanks for noticing.

People I've told this story to tell me every parent has experiences like this, but trust me, I have the worst child I've ever seen. I honestly have never seen any kid throw a fit like that in public in my life. Of course she fell asleep as soon as we were driving out of the parking lot. Wish I could have too.

Love you Lila!