Have you heard of the Seattle Freeze before? I just read about it last night (if you want to read the article go here). It's about how we in Seattle are super nice but not really that welcoming when you get right down to it. Sure, come visit our fair city then don't let the door hit you on the way out. And if you are moving here, plan on taking a looong time to make friends. I have a number of friends who moved here from the East Coast, Midwest and Southwest. They all say it took them a while to catch on to the way of life here. No one RSVPs to anything, everyone breaks plans, it takes 10 attempts to get together to do anything (which reminds me I have to call Helen because I was supposed to call her last week to get together with the kids. Oops). But! We are really, really, really nice. To a fault.
One way I'm helping to combat the uber friendliness of the city is by trying to not be an obnoxious driver. Well, I don't think I'm obnoxious. I believe in taking turns and following the yield signs. I try to merge into traffic making it seamless. I'm not the so-kind-I'll-kill-us-all merger. You know, the person who slows way down to let you in. That is SO annoying. If it is up to me to merge into traffic it is up to me to get up to freeway speed - it's not up to everyone on the freeway to accommodate me.
Oh, and if you hang out at a green light - especially a light with a short cycle, I will honk at you. The honk is always polite (as polite as a honk can be) at first. It gets progressively louder and longer the longer the person fiddling with the radio sits there oblivious to the green light. Oh, and I may honk at you if you insist on driving 20 mph in a 30 mph zone.
Today at the toddler open gym - which is going to cost an extra $2 very soon because Theo is sooo close to walking. Today he took 9 steps in open gym. I kind of looked around to see if someone was going to walk up to me with their hand out demanding an extra $2 fee for my now walking child. But then he dropped to his knees and continued crawling. Whew. Close call.
Anyhoo - back the Seattle Freeze at open gym time. I decided to challenge myself and not be a true Seattleite (learn the names of the children but not the parents) - although I think the Seattle Freeze could very well be the Northwest Freeze, too. But to prove that I would actually have to do research and that would involve, well, work. No thanks.
Gavin was running around and enjoying the kiddie roller coaster, tricycles (which he actually peddled today) and bouncy houses and Theo was enjoying crawling around and looking in the playhouse and all of the push toys. I sat near Mr. T as he would need the most help and he also dislikes being too far away from me. Two other dads followed their tots to where all of the action was - near the playhouse. So I chatted them up.
I met dad Scott and son ... shoot... no, his name is not shoot but that reminds me - my younger brother met a couple at his church who named their kid Shooter. Was it Shooter? Slayer? Something totally horrible that will either give the kid super thick skin or will lead him to the only profession one with that name could have: death metal band "singer" - quotation marks are needed. No, the son's name was Truman. Pretty cool.
I also met Maurice and son Jackson. Very nice man. He said they considered Theo for their boy - I'm glad he didn't choose Theo. I kind of like having the only Theo around. Yesterday I kept hearing someone calling for Gavin at another play space and it was driving me nuts.
Maurice and I talked quite a bit. I really put forth an effort to be chatty but not over the top. I told him about Halloween events coming up that are for the kiddos and we chatted about adoption a bit because both of his boys are adopted.
I was supervising Gavin in the bouncy house when he came over to say bye. I asked his name again because I forgot it 2 seconds after he told me the first time and extended my hand for a shake. He gave me a hug instead. Quite a squeeze. My ear smashed against his cheek and I felt it form a suction - kind of like you do when you are trying to get your ears to pop on an airplane.
So much for the Seattle freeze.
Then right before I tried to convince Gavin we needed to leave I sat down with Theo who was telling me in no uncertain terms he wanted milk - right NOW. Scott came over right about then, I'm assuming to chat a bit since he could see Maurice and I talking earlier, but before we could say two words he got up and left again.
I'm thinking that me shoving Theo's head under my shirt and his chubby little legs flailing about while he happily nursed may have made him a tad uncomfortable. Nothing was exposed but some people are just uncomfortable knowing whats going on under your shirt. Thank God for super baggy shirts with an elasticized waist - I guess some would call it a peasant blouse. I couldn't find my nursing cover so the shirt worked perfectly.
Then Theo was done eating and it was time to devastate Gavin. All Hell was about to break loose. Before going to the open gym I almost put Gavin in his cute red T-shirt that has a cartoonish picture of a devil that says Li'l Devil but I thought, if he does act up then its going to look like I'm just asking for it putting him in that shirt. Maybe I should get him a shirt with a picture of an angel on it. Would it work?
So, I tell Gavin he has 5 more minutes to do what ever he wants to do before we were going to leave. If he leaves like a good boy with Mommy and doesn't kick and scream he gets a special lunch of rice and beans (yeah, you read that right). My boys love pinto beans and rice from Taco Time.
No dice.
There was much weeping and gnashing of teeth. I had to carry him and Theo out to the van. I told him I was very upset (understatement of the year - I was white hot mad) and that we were going to go to Kids Club for a little bit so I could take a shower and if he wanted to try again he could show me some good behavior when we left Kids Club and he could still get rice and beans for lunch.
Kids Club is the daycare at our gym; I took them there so I could have my $4 shower. Gavin loves kids club because the staff are fun and there are lots of toys that we don't have at home and lots and lots of space to run around. Theo tolerates it. He really hates to see me leave but a shiny toy dangled in front of his face provides a great distraction for him. I dropped off the boys and ran downstairs and took a shower.
That was the only reason I went there today. I didn't want to risk making a bunch of noise taking a shower right next to Theo's room downstairs and keeping him from napping since he only slept 15 minutes this morning.
I forgot my flip flops for the shower. It really grosses me out to stand in the shower with bare feet. I hope I don't get Athlete's Foot.
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