Our Date.

We took the new truck because Ethan thinks it is so cool. I feel pretty cool driving it too once I get up there. I mean, it's not even a big truck, but if I have super tight jeans on (and all my jeans are super tight right now), I can barely get my bent leg up to pull myself up. I feel so self conscious as I am hoisting myself in, wondering if my jeans are going to split right up the butt.
We drove down the street to McDonald's (affectionately call Old McDonald's by Ethan, who probably was learning the song at around the same time he first went to McDonald's, and so now the two are forever married in his small, genius of a mind) and as we walked in I thought how wonderful it was that going to McDonald's was the only thing on my agenda for the day; that I could hold Ethan's hand as we walked in, not rushing him, not thinking about anything else but the moment with him.
We walked into a small crowd. I hadn't been in a McDonald's in forever, and I noticed how they are trying to be Starbuck's--the muted colors, (Common! McDonald's in not forest green and egg plant purple! It's orange red and mustard yellow. Wear it.) and even the wall decor of coffee cups. Please.
I was overwhelmed by the menu, and decided to go with the huge, Swiss cheese and mushroom burger.
I think I must have been on drugs or something.
Ethan wanted a happy meal with chicken nuggets and apples with carmel dip and chocolate milk. He also wanted a specific toy, but I told him you get whatever they throw in the bag-it's a surprise! That seemed to appease him and I prayed it would ward off any sort of melt down if didn't get what he wanted.
I let Ethan choose where we wanted to sit. He chose the bar stools. We watched a mom and her two elementary school kids while we waited. I tried to talk to Ethan (so, how are you?) but he was more interested in swinging side to side int he bar stool, which was OK.
My burger had a cup of mayonnaise on the top bun and reminded me of this cream of mushroom dish my mom used to make served over noodles, only thicker, with chunky beef . I scraped the mayonnaise off with a straw, and took two or three bites because it cost $3.99, and then came to my senses and realized I wouldn't want to eat the rest of it even if someone would pay me a hundred dollars.
Ethan loved his apples and carmel dip. I asked if I could have his chicken nuggets, and he gave me all of them. He ended up getting stuck with a lame dragon instead of the shooting toy he wanted, but he started playing with it, thank you Jesus.
Ethan took his time, kicking his legs as he sucked his chocolate milk through a straw. I downed the chicken nuggets as if we had somewhere to go. I started to get restless. It's not like you want to spend thirty minutes in McDonald's. Heck my butt was starting to hurt from the plastic chair, and my stomach was still turning over from the after taste of my burger.
I promised him ice cream, so we had to get a cone. His mouth took little tiny licks, and I sat there watching him, getting more and more restless. "Commoncommoncommon, let's go buddy," I said to him, instantly feeling guilt for rushing the poor kid. Can't I slow down enough to let him finish his ice cream cone without feeling the rush that otherwise rules the roost?
Obviously not. I waited another thirty seconds and then told him it was time to go.
He gave me the second half of the ice cream cone, which I was really happy about because I really wanted it after sitting there and watching him eat the first half.
It was a really good experience for me, this little date. I realized how hard it is for me to slow down and enjoy my kid. I need practice. We'll do another one soon, but it sure as heck well not be at McDonald's and will involve nothing even close to resembling a Swiss mushroom burger. *Barf*