Never Never Never Give Up

Today has been the perfect example of how perseverance and a little bit of luck can work out to make for a really great day. You just have to never, never, never give up.

We took Lily to the doctor for her four month well baby check. She got three immunization shots, a referral to a pediatric dermatologist at Johns Hopkins for her hemaginoma and a referral to the hospital for a second screening test for hearing.

We lucked out and Jack was able to get both the seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 nasal mist. We had told Jack that we were at the doctor's office for Lily and not him and he so didn't respond too well with shots being sprung on him without any notice or warning. I really wanted to go home after all that commotion.

But since we felt badly for Jack we took him to McDonald's for lunch. I drove around the traffic circle in Urbana twice before I found the entrance to the parking lot. I didn't want to eat there and I definitely didn't want to be there with two tired and immunization induced cranky babies. I wanted to go home. But Lily slept and Jack ate and played and was fine.

Getting Jack's hair cut was our next to do list item. I headed for the barber shop downtown. I found a great parking space outside of the shop. I went to feed the meter and read the 'no parking here by penalty of death' sign posted on the meter. I wanted to go home and avoid the hassle but I lucked out and found a great spot in the parking deck.

By this time Lily needed to be fed. I had a clean bottle and enough formula but no water. I desperately wanted to go home but I knew Lily would not make the thirty minute drive home quietly, especially with an empty stomach. I had to find water.

Jack had fallen asleep in the car and I didn't have any cash and so we had to walk a block without coats to find an ATM. I wanted to turn around and go home because walking anywhere with Jack is like a death march. Walking anywhere with Jack when he is tired and says "I'm so cold" with every stride is enough to make you want to pull your eyeballs out.

But I pushed on -- and he pushed on -- and we made it to the bank and then the barber shop. We got super crazy lucky because we were the only people in the shop. This was great because I didn't want to have anyone endure the horror that is Jack getting his hair cut AND Lily screaming her noggin off to be fed.

Jack climbed into the chair, happily put on the cape and sat like a champion during the whole hair cut. Did not scream or cry; he hardly even fidgeted. Utterly amazing. The shop let us have some water and I fed Lily while Jack was in the chair. No screaming -- at all -- from either of my tired, shot induced cranky children.

At this point I thought we should not push our luck any further and go home immediately. But I tempted fate and walked to the toy shop. I found what I wanted (the tea party game for Grace for Christmas), Jack played with the train table and we left after 20 minutes without a fuss.

The bonus to the whole day -- the parking fee was only $1.

We did finally get home, eat dinner and watch the Poolesville Christmas Light Grand Illumination from our back yard. The whole day was gray, cloudy and cold and I dragged my children beyond what I thought they were capable of and I wanted to go home at every turn. But I'm so glad I pushed on; we did a lot and ended up having a great day. Never never never give up.