Search This Blog

Monday, November 09, 2015

The Daily Chai Goes to the Movies

Today's chai was delicious and hit the spot. Yes, that spot.

I got the kids back after school today after a busy weekend without them. It's always so sweet to see Anna's face light up when I pick her up at school as she runs towards me. Sometimes she's a little shy, like she's just a tiny bit overwhelmed that I'm actually there in the flesh, but I get some pretty decent hugs and kisses from her regardless. Kate was also happy to see me and seems to have matured by three years since I saw her last Wednesday morning. We rushed out of the house to catch an early showing of the Peanuts Movie. The BF and I planned to take the kids together and had decided on today only to find out that the movie started at 4:30 so it was a bit mad to get there on time, but we did indeed make it and got to watch all the previews too.

Of course, as I'm sorting out my Scene points and the snacks and coupons, Anna comes running up to me, "MOM! I have to pee!"

"Okay, no problem, let me just finish up here and I'll take you to the washroom."

"Okay. But I have to pee now! Pay later, take me to the washroom."

"Anna, just wait, I'll be two seconds."

"Yeah okay, but I have to pee. Right now. Let's go. Take me now or I'm gonna pee my pants," as she starts the dance. Sigh. Better now than during I suppose!

We all enjoyed the movie and I really liked the animation. It was different, more modern of course than the hand-drawn/painted animation of the earlier Peanut movies, but still held true to the classic comic strip. For example, there were lines indicating hand motions and little hearts popping over Charlie Brown's head when he talked about his feelings for the little Red Headed Girl. Snoopy is still the best and had his own plot line as he so often did in the movies and books. Kate is not exactly critical and basically says, "I LOVED IT!" after each movie we go to see, but who cares? We all had a good time together which was exactly what I was hoping for tonight.

After the movie, we just did boring stuff like get groceries for lunches tomorrow and Anna cried the entire time. That little morsel of humanity walked dejectedly behind me, red-eyed and teary as I tortured her by browsing through the fruit section, glaring at me reproachfully whenever I looked back at her. The sight of her tear-stained face over something as small as picking up some bread and fruit is both annoying and hilarious. I shouldn't laugh because it makes her madder, but hey, we can't both be in tears now can we? Then they both got free cookies and Anna was miraculously happy again. Amazing. I should really start carrying cookies in all my pockets, just in case I ever have to make an unscheduled, unannounced and unwelcome grocery run while I have the kids. To add insult to injury regarding the getting of groceries,  Anna is intensely jealous that Kate sometimes gets to stay home from the shopping while I unyieldingly drag Anna along with me, EVERY SINGLE TIME. I am a terrible mother, I'm aware.

Halfway through my shopping, I realized that I had the package of M&Ms from the movies jammed in my coat pocket and hoped desperately that no one would notice them and think I stole them. I told Kate about them in a stage whisper and she said, "Why don't you use them to bribe Anna into not crying?"

"Because she would be happy for forty seconds and then she'd be running down aisle nine screaming like a crazy person from the sugar high. The cookie is bad enough and we better leave the store pronto before all hell breaks loose."

"Good point. Hurry up and pay so we can get out of here!"

We got home, all in one piece, with bread to make sandwiches for tomorrow and some fruit and I proudly showed the girls my new backpack rack that I mounted on wall going downstairs. It's just a wire metal rack that fits wicker baskets I already had for mitts and hats and has hooks for bags. I've done this in the hope that backpacks will be hung on it instead of thrown casually in my living room. I have this hope, although, funnily enough, the hangers in the closets don't seem to encourage the hanging of coats, but I can still dream.

Kate looked suitably impressed and nodded and was very agreeable to hanging her backpack there after school tomorrow, but we shall see. She asked me who installed it and I said, "Me, of course!"

"Oh dear..."

"Thanks Kate. Thanks a bunch."

"I'm kidding! Just kidding. I'm sure it'll be...fine." And she backed slowly away. Oh ye of little faith. Of course, now that she's said that and we have fully loaded that sucker down with all our hats, mitts, shoes, backpacks, flutes, music books, umbrellas and water bottles, I'm pretty sure I will find it on the floor tomorrow, with those heavy-duty, 75 pound-bearing anchors ripped right out of my wall. I'm just hoping I will sleep through that ruckus because I'm exhausted.


No comments: