There's a Crazy Woman in Car Pool

Everyday around 3.30pm, except for Wednesdays, on Wednesdays it is 2.30, I tell Owen, "honey, 10 minutes and we have to go pick up Ethan." And everyday he ignores me. And then at 3.35pm (2.35 on Wednesdays) I say "honey, 5 minutes and we have to go get Ethan." Again, ignored. Then at 3.40pm (2.40 on Wednesdays, of course) I say, "come on honey, it's time to go get Ethan." And each day I get "NOOOOOOOOOO!" or some variation of a grunt. I suppose I am thankful he isn't ignoring me at this point. And I have to say "whatever, Owen, I am leaving and unless you want to be here alone without mommy, you need to get moving." At this point I am downstairs with Eliza and about to walk out the door. It is when he hears our alarm say "garage door open" that he comes running. Inevitably he waits until I have him buckled in his car seat to say "you didn't get me a drink." And I reply "No, I didn't. You will have to wait until we get back home." And of course, this doesn't go over well either. I get Eliza in, then myself and before I get out of the garage Eliza is crying. She still isn't a fan of riding in the car. Have any of my angels liked it? The answer is a resounding, no. So off we go.

We are two quarters into school now and I still can't time the car pool line right. You see, Eliza whimpers when I am driving, but if I ever have the audacity to actually stop the car, like at a red light, stop sign or car pool for example, she really turns on the tears. So I continue to try and time picking up Ethan so that we are in car pool line the least amount of time without Ethan being the last child waiting. Ask Uncle Chad how that turns out. Let's just say, I didn't win mommy of the year on Ethan's first day of school.

So back to car pool.....each day Owen is either watching a movie or listening to his music while we wait and each day he complains he can't hear it. Why you may ask? Because Eliza is upset that we have to wait in car pool line, remember? So there we are, Eliza crying, Owen complaining and me watching the car in front of me like watching a pot start to boil. And finally it is our turn, I can see Ethan and the safety patrol child that walks him to our car. And then it happens, I open the van door for Ethan to get in and it is like the heavens open up and you can hear the angels singing, only it is my angel and she ain't singin'. She is belting out for everyone to hear her dislike for carpool. The darling safety patrol child smiles, tells me to have a nice day and I do the same. But really, I think they are all thinking

"Who is the crazy woman in car pool line?"

***note: baby in pic is not Eliza