Why Parents Drink

My dad sent me a forward today with this title: why parents drink. The timing could not be more perfect.

Many of you who know Drew also know that the kid is very active. He actually NEEDS to be active to pay attention and to keep undesirable behavior to a minimum. Winter is often challenging. We finally have some decent weather and we all get sick. Very little effort has been put forth to keep Drew active for the past week and a half and so the poor kid is about to jump out of his skin.

Tonight we are all feeling better so Anita and I drive the kids to get some dinner and then to this indoor playplace with inflatable bounce house and climbing wall and slides. Drew is running around and having fun but starts getting a bit overheated and coughing. I get him a bottle of water and cut the visit short. On the way out the door Mirra vomits on my shoe. I am thankful that most of it landed on my shoe and that no one else will have to clean it up. No biggie.

We get in the car and head for home. One minute from the play place (and 20 minutes from home) Drew heaves all over his 1/3 of the the backseat. (Somewhere my dad is reading this and laughing his ass off saying "paybacks are hell"). Fortunately Mirra was not in the line of fire. I'm stuck at a red light and can't pull over right away. Anita hands Drew a wipe for his face and the odor almost does her in. I finally pull over and start wiping up all this mess (gagging the whole time). Most his clothes go in the trunk. Fortunately I had a spare pair of pants for him. I managed to get it cleaned up as best I could. The kid is a trooper. I don't think I could have handled the drive home the way he did.

Here is the kicker: when we pass the Wendy's where we ate dinner, Drew starts saying "Get chicken. French fries." Heck no pal, have some crackers.

I really just wanted to get Drew some exercise....The best laid plans of mice and men....

Now the kids are in bed, the clothes are in the washer, the car is airing out, and I am finshing a beer. I think I have earned it tonight.