Saturday Night Isn't What It Used to Be

Saturday brought the best weather we'd seen in months and with Jason working afternoons/nights, I decided Katherine and I could use some outside girl time.  So, after her nap we headed out.  I figured the parks would be crowded with others enjoying the warm weather, so we headed to the outdoor outlet mall.  It seemed like a great idea at the time - outside time and shopping.  The perfect girls' Saturday afternoon.

I decided to go to an outlet mall that I thought wouldn't be as crowded.  Every time I'd ever driven by, it seemed almost deserted.  Unfortunately, on this particular Saturday about half the population of St. Louis must have had the same idea because the parking lot was packed.  Even with a crowd, it would still be nice to walk around the outdoor mall, so we continued with the plan.  Have you ever tried to maneuver a stroller in a very crowded mall or store?  It's a nightmare.  Fifteen minutes in, we were headed back to the car, due to the over populated mall and the over abundance of teens who refused to let me get near any store entrance.  Fail.  

It was now 4:30.  Was it too early for dinner?  Of course not, and since it was just me and Katherine we'd be able to eat before the dinner crowds arrived.  So, we headed over to Chick-fil-A, where the parking lot looked half empty.  I've only eaten out in public alone with Katherine a couple of times before.  Both times were disasters.  I thought this time would be better, but it too went downhill.  Fast.

Even though the parking lot was almost empty, the dining room was not.  It was full of high school aged boys running amok (there must have been a sporting event going on nearby), taking over most of the dining in area.  Katherine kept chanting "Chicken!  Chicken!  Chicken!" so I knew there was no turning back now.

After working our way through the rowdy crowd and ordering, I then had to find a hair chair and a place to sit.  I found the high chairs stacked neatly against the front entrance and located a clean table on the complete opposite side of the restaurant.  With a toddler in one arm, a diaper bag on my shoulder, and two drinks in my hand I wheeled the high chair through the crowd, only slamming it in to two different people until a nice man offered to help me.  After pointing him in the direction I was headed, he helped get my high chair in place, just as they called my name to pick up my order.  I juggled our tray of food back to our table and got everything set up, then had to hunt down some ketchup packets.  Katherine was already seated with her food in front of her, now chanting "Ketchup!  Ketchup!  Ketchup!"  I darted to the condiments counter where there was everything except ketchup.  When I couldn't get the attention of a single Chick-fil-A worker, the family sitting next to us, probably noticing my overwhelmed state, offered up their unused ketchups.

We were in the middle of our dinner when Katherine started having what we call her "poop fit."  When she has to "go," she throws somewhat of a fit, insisting that you hold her and rub her back until she's "finished."  When she wouldn't stop shouting "pooooooooop!" I finally picked her up and held her in my lap while I finished eating, rubbing her back and hoping for her to get her "job" done.   I finally felt her starting to "go" and was wondering how I was going to change her.  It was just the two of us and I'd have to leave our food at the table.  Would someone clean it up while we were in the bathroom?  I obviously couldn't leave everything behind.  I was starting to stress out when I felt it.

No.  No no no no no no no....

She had filled her diaper and then some.  We were having our first "blow out" in over a year.  We were alone in a restaurant.  I didn't have an extra change of clothes for her.  My mind started racing.  I gathered up our belongings and rushed to the bathroom, leaving our food on the table and praying it was still there when we got back.

Sure enough, poop everywhere.  I opened my bag and yep.  Out of wipes.

No.  No no no no no no no.....  

If you've ever gotten poop on you, you know that there's not enough soap in the world to make you feel like you've gotten it all off.  After finally getting both of us cleaned up (and getting Katherine's pants to a semi-wearable state), we headed back out to where our food luckily was still sitting.  Because I was able to clean out Katherine's pants, she was able to sit back down and finisher her dinner.  Obviously I was done eating after that, but Katherine picked right up where she left off.  Dinner fail.

We were back home by 6:00, where a bath was very necessary.  Saturday night isn't what it used to be.

This face pretty much sums up "girls' night."