Spilled Milk

My morning started out bright and early when the phone rang for a phone-appointment at 6:30 a.m. to talk to someone helping to start the Property Management issue with renting out our home. This was after waking up three times during the night because I was sure I wasn't going to hear the alarm or the phone ringing. Ugh. Started out tired, not a good way to start the day.

The phone call lasted about 40 minutes as the woman explained what they would be handling and what the 1-2 other people she would be contacting to contact me would be handling. THE most difficult thing is ALL the people involved in this. You would think it would great to have so many people handling all the little issues - one person to handle the shipping of the car, someone else to handle the packing of the house, someone else to handle the acquiring of the house there, someone else to handle registering the kids for school, someone else to handle blah, blah, blah, blah. Sigh.

So after our conversation ended with a commitment to send me an email summarizing the conversation and 4-5 pages of forms to fill out about our house, I was able to hang up and get on with my day. I showered, readied myself for they gym and got lunches packed and kids ready to head out the door.

Dropped off the kids, headed to the gym for a nap in the sauna (ahhhhh), followed by 30 minutes on the treadmill and 30 minutes of zumba. I was feeling much better.

I picked up Cameron from the Kids Club (gym daycare) and he LOVES it there and USUALLY has no problem when it's time to go.

NOT TODAY.

He refused to wash his hands because he didn't want to let go of the car that was in his hand and wanted to take it home. I had to explain that it belonged to Kids Club and would have to stay here to play with later. THAT did not go over well. I pried it from his tiny hands and passed it off to one of the workers. Then, I scooped up a fidgety, heavy, crying Cameron to head down the hall. I put him down for a moment to open the gate and he ran - screaming and crying for the Kids Club to get "his" car back. I scooped him up again and tried to head out without putting him down.

He continued to cry and squirm and ask for his car. Ugh!

We reached the lobby and I asked if he wanted a string cheese or a milk before we left. He asked for chocolate milk. We didn't have a straw so I patiently opened it up and let him drink a few sips from the 16 ounce bottle. He was still not happy.

Now - he was screaming for the chocolate milk.

MISTAKE TIME

I decided - what the heck? We are running late for gymnastics. He is unhappy, cranky and probably a little tired. Why not hand him an almost full bottle of chocolate milk - in my only a month old car - and let him drink it as I'm driving 40 mph down the street. Sigh.

As I'm heading down the road, i can see him placing his chocolate milk into the cup holder on the car door and all is well. I'm just about ready to drive onto the freeway (after glancing at the clock and seeing that I have 2 minutes to drive 10 minutes across town to his gymnastics class that we are running late for because he was throwing such a fit at the gym).

When ......

He yells.
I turn my head in time to see almost 16 ounces of chocolate milk spilling onto the door, the floor, my jacket, a library book, the diaper bag, his jacket.....ugh!!

I pull over and try not to cry or laugh as I'm staring at the GIGANTIC MESS of what will soon be stinky, sour milk in my beautiful car!!!!

I have about 4 baby wipes that don't go very far in cleaning up the mess. I then notice the tablecloth thing that is folded up under his car seat to help balance it and remove that and attempt to soak up milk with that (it is not absorbent and doesn't work too well). Sigh.

The milk is now mostly cleaned up and I'm staring at a box filled with brown, gross diaper wipes, a chocolate milk covered diaper, diaper bag, two jackets and a book and I feel like I'm about to cry.

I am debating about going home but figure - better late than never to gymnastics class and perhaps it will lift both our moods.

We take off and get there 15 minutes late, just in time for the end of parachute play. He plays, I play - we have fun and moods are lifted. Phew.

Afterwards, I make a few phone calls and manage to find somewhere that can take care of my problem. I drive over to http://www.finaltouchautospa.com/ to have them take care of it. They got me in right away and we were out of there in about 30 minutes and it cost me $27. The car looks good and only time will tell.

I just hope the 120 degree weather of Abu Dhabi doesn't bring out the smell of lingering chocolate milk.