I'm officially nuts

Monday night, the night of probably the craziest idea I've ever had...My dad has a really nice electric Lionel "Choo Choo" around the base of my parents tree that Mark LOVES!!! Everyday Mark requests to "play choo choos with Gaga" or "play with Nana" or "see Nana's Christmas". So I decided to make his dreams come true. We planned on going over to their house that night so Mark could play with the train. I decided to take both kiddos myself so that David could have time to study for his banking finals and to finish hooking up our outside Christmas lights. I learned my lesson from the previous choo choo session where Mark refused to eat dinner, so I decided to grab us something to eat before we went over to my parents house...

Here's where I must have lost my mind. I decided to take them into McAlister's to sit down at a table by ourselves to enjoy a slightly healthy meal. I am over us eating french fries or convenience food at drive-thru restaurants, but maybe I should have made this decision when I was going to have some help. Ok so I pick up Mark from school. Everything's going great. He's having a great time with his teacher. Molly has a full belly and is content in her car seat...this is going to work! Well...Mark starts requesting a candy cane, a candy cane that I do not have. He proceeds to request said candy cane and whatever piece of candy pops in his head the entire way to McAlister's. When he realizes that he's not getting candy then his carseat hurts and guess what will cure the pain?!! "Candy cane, Mama" (in sad pathetic whine). We drive up to McAlister's, he's screaming and tears are rolling. Molly's still pleasant...actually asleep at this point and I'm thinking to myself, "Stephanie, you're nuts!!!" I'm still gutsy at this point. I get her out of the car and come around to get him. He's still crying, but as soon as the crisp air hits his face he's distracted. So now I'm thinking we're going to be fine. I pick up the car seat while still carrying him (approximately 60 pounds I'm carrying now) and enter the restaurant. Not 3 feet into the door I put him down for him to walk and he throws himself on the ground and starts crying AGAIN. I pick him back up and proceed to walk to the order line. He gets himself together and asks to walk. Ok...he's checking out the Christmas decor, everything's dandy. I order, he's still great. I hand him his milk, grab my tea and Molly and he throws himself down again. Apparently he wants a giant jug of tea that they were advertising. Oh man!!! I pick him up, try to calm him down. At this point a customer comes to me, looks at me like I'm helpless or something and offers her help. I'm thankful, ask her to grab me a cup to share my tea with him and we move on to sit down. He's calm now we're having a great time, Molly's still asleep, he's eating his food, we're talking about his day. I'm thinking ok this is great!!! He spills his milk, now my bottom is wet and cold, but it's ok he's still in a great mood and I'm feeling very capable. Next...Molly's eyes pop open. Oh no, she's either going to play it cool or start screaming. Then her face turns blood red and the grunting begins! You've got to be kidding me!!! There's no way I can make it back out to the car to grab the diaper bag, take them both in the bathroom, change her diaper and not lose my mind at the same time!!! She finished her business and sat in it happily for a few more minutes at McAlister's and the whole ride to my parents. Thanks, Molly, now that ends the story on her. Ok back to Mark...he's finished his meal, he's still happy and now he requests a cookie. Apparently the Teddy Grahams will not do. So I get him all excited to leave the restaurant, without a cookie, with promises to go see Nana and Gaga to play choo choos and eat cookies. (Sigh) We get almost out the door without a hitch...I'm thinking I've held the door long enough for all three of us to get out the door, but I hadn't and the heavy door to the restaurant came back and smacked Mark in the head. It was soooo loud and I just knew he was gonna lose it! He didn't thankfully and I kissed his head, he rubbed his head and we walked to the car. I get Mark in the car, find a piece of cookie from the day before in his seat. I hand it to him thinking this will keep him quiet on the way to their house (I know, mother of the year!!!). He's happy with my find. I walk around the car, pop Molly's carseat in the base, shut the door, come back around the car...I sit in my seat, let out a sigh of relief and then....a piece of cookie flys from Mark's hand and pelts me in the back of the head!!! Perfect ending to an interesting dinner experience!!! LOL!!! I will NEVER do that again!