The Moments

On Saturday we drove to New Jersey for a family barbecue.  It was a hot and humid day with temperatures in the 90's.  I spent the day sweating while carrying my baby in his wrap so he could sleep amongst the laughing voices.  I chased my toddler around begging him to take sips of my lemonade and at one point threw a wet kitchen washcloth on his head in an effort to cool him down.  We slept in a motel that night, my husband sharing a bed with our toddler and me with our baby.  We were exhausted.  The following day we returned to our family member's home for breakfast carrying our Dunkin Donuts coffee and looking like the living dead.  Our toddler once again played with his cousins until he was too tired to run and we started the long trip home.  We drove with our two angelic sleeping children until our bladders screamed for mercy.  Our first stop didn't turn out so well.  The outside eatery, whose name ended in Dairy Barn, (that was enough for me) had only one unisex bathroom which a 12 year old boy ran into before we got there.  He remained there until he heard threats from his family to leave him.  We then got into a very long line for food but elected to give up, driving instead to a strip mall for lunch.  After a quick bite to eat we walked to TJ Maxx to stretch our legs (maybe I had a hidden agenda).  All was almost well until our toddler punched my milk filled breast.  Public embarrassment followed as he goaded us on, "I can't hear you," and attempted to bite my husband.  He was transported to the car in a side carry to avoid my husband being bruised by his flailing, screaming body.  We drove home and I collapsed into bed as my face and lip had become numb from an encroaching migraine.  What felt like seconds later I met my husband at the bedroom door to take our crying baby. I prayed to my spiritual force and climbed into bed.  I nursed the baby and he fell asleep.  Somehow we blundered through the rest of the night.  Monday morning my husband left for work.  I wrapped the baby in his sling for a morning nap and followed my toddler to his room.  He dumped his piggy bank out on his bed and began filling his wallet with coins for our trip to Target.  I looked down at my sleeping baby cooing in my arms and back to my toddler.  Tears sprang to my eyes as I was overcome by the joy of mothering these two precious children.  The exhaustion and trying moments of the weekend melted away as I was reminded that these are the moments that matter.