133 : Take it all Back

I take back everything I said about the weekend (see post #132).  By 8am in the morning yesterday, I was already wishing I was going to work that day.  Yes, that is what being a parent is all about.  It's one of the most physically and mentally demanding jobs around.  Both of my kids woke up at the exact same time that morning.  6:30 am.  They were both crying.  Needing me.  Needing milk.  Food.  Clean diapers/underwear.  Neither could understand patience.  I was sweating, racing from child to child trying to accommodate both of them and constantly letting down one of them.  I opened the fridge to learn we were almost out of milk and immediately thought this was a great opportunity for all of us to get out of the house!  Fresh air!  We all left in our pajamas - there was a store a couple blocks away and the weather was still beautiful out.  We might as well walk while we could still enjoy it, right?  So off we went.  My youngest was in the stroller.  My oldest was pushing the stronger.  I was still sweating, but at least I could feel the breeze in the air.  1/8 of the way into the route, my oldest got tired of pushing and started to run ahead.  With the stroller in hand, I did my best to keep up.  But then we got to an intersection and while I had instructed him to stop- he just kept running right into the street as a car was turning directly into his path.  I screamed STOP at the top of my lungs and the car braked within a few feet of hitting him.  Literally.  A couple runners stopped to take in the near accident and a neighbor asked if we were ok.  My oldest continued to giggle and skip on completely unaware at what had just occurred.  Now I was really sweating.  I forced my oldest onto my hip and attempted to walk the rest of the way carrying him but my back was too sore to do so.  We made it to the store, scooped up the milk and then were ready for our return home.  This time, my oldest decided to stand on the end of the stroller (facing his brother) while I pushed them both.  Good plan.  At least I could keep an eye on him this way.  We were approaching that same deathly intersection when the stroller hit a bump in the sidewalk - causing the entire stroller and all 3 of us to fly forward.  My oldest first, then my youngest right on top of him, then the stroller, and finally me and my full body weight piling on the top.  We had fallen right into the street.  That same god damned intersection!  A passing car pulled over to ask if we were okay as both of my boys had erupted in tears.  I picked myself off the ground, got the stroller back up, brushed them both off and returned my oldest to my hip where I continued to carry him (SWEATING and BACK KILLING!) the rest of the route home.  I will say it again.  Being a parent (and a SINGLE parent, no less!) was probably one of the most physically and mentally demanding jobs and some days are just harder than others.