Broken Phones, Blowouts and Tantrums

It's day three of my single parenting gig (the hubby is away for two weeks traveling for work) and, boy, are we having fun. I'm sure you can sense a bit of sarcasm in that statement but, overall, Remi and I really are enjoying our time together. The past three days have been filled with plenty of laughter, hugs, kisses and "mommy and me" activities including a Phillies game. Of course, my days are never complete without some excitement such as two trips to the mall for a broken phone, a couple of blowout diapers, a few tantrums and a whole lot of mommy chasing toddler around.

With Brian gone, it's imperative that my phone is working properly. I just bought the iPhone 7 about a month ago and for the past several days it has been intermittently crashing on me. I took it to the Apple store the other day but it crashed on me again this evening. Luckily, my mother-in-law was over and able to go to the mall with me to keep Remi occupied while I took my phone back to Apple.

We decided to make a little evening of it and have dinner in the food court. First, let me tell you -- like many toddlers at this age -- Remi doesn't want to sit still for very long. As a result, mommy either eats on the run or doesn't eat at all. As I quickly stuffed my face full of salad, she began wiggling her chubby, little legs out of the high chair. She stood up and lunged right at me. Yes, lunged. Don't worry, I was prepared. I caught her. She sat on my lap for maybe a minute before squirming her way to the ground. She was off. And, so was I. Chasing her around doesn't bother me; I want her to enjoy and explore. I just wish I could get a full meal in my belly before the race begins. To make things more interesting, Remi stopped and squatted in the middle of the food court (a position I know very well). She proceeded to let me know she was making a "poopy." Once she was done, she was off to the races again. I realized as we were finally leaving the food court I -- surprise, surprise -- forgot my purse at the table. Never a dull moment...

The three of us finally made it out to my car where I changed Remi in the trunk (I have a hatchback). I knew the "poopy" was bad. And, it was. It must have taken at least eight wipes to get her heinie clean. And, guess what? The excitement wasn't over yet. Remi didn't want to sit in her carseat. I think I'm pretty good at remaining calm in these situations. I try to give her time to settle down then try again. But, once a tantrum sets in, there's no stopping it -- all you can do is let her work out her frustrations. She did and eventually sank down into her seat. However, that was after screaming, trying to bend backwards over the seat and some flailing of her arms. She let out a couple more yells as we drove off before sticking her thumb in her mouth and returning to her sweet self. (Seriously. It's like our children briefly become possessed during a tantrum.) Another day down. But, a great day nonetheless.

Still, I have to admit -- she's cute even when she's screaming...

(Two things:
1. Daddy, if you're reading this -- we love you so much and miss you!
2. Full-time single parents are amazing and deserve SO much credit.)

Bushkill Falls, April 3, 2017

 .