The Great Carrot Disaster

How about a story for your Thursday?

(But first, some background.  Generally Jas and I attend language class downtown together.  Always with Elise in tow.  She normally does fairly well.  We have a very small class (3-4 people usually in attendance) and everyone is fine with Elise being in there.  Usually we rotate out about halfway through class (because Elise can't really maintain calmness for longer than half an hour without needing a diaper change, to be fed, etc.) and it's all good...we've got a system down.  It works.)

Until you're flying solo.

You see, last night I had to swing language class with Elise all by my lonesome.

Here's how it went down...

We got to class just fine and things started out ok.  She was moving a lot (she in to the explore-my-surroundings-and-touch-everything stage), but I was able to pay attention and involve myself in class while holding her/distracting her.

Then we reached the halfway through class mark.  She started getting whiny.  I held her and we stood up.  We bounced, found the door knob to play with, and I still tried to pay attention.  Note: TRIED to pay attention. Haha.

Then she started crying.

So I told our teacher she needed to be fed and we left the room.

Since I came to class with her in the carrier, we didn't have the stroller like normal so that I could sit her in it to feed her.

So I sat her up like a big girl in a chair in the hallway.

Feeding began.  First, carrots.  Everything was going fine.  I was sitting on the floor in front of her scooping and feeding.  (slow motion here) I scooped some carrots, brought them up to her mouth, her hand flies up, knocks the spoon, carrots EVERYWHERE.  All over the chair, the floor, my pants, our diaper bag.  And I only had one paper towel with me.

A girl passed by.  I asked her in Slovak if she could bring me another paper towel.  She brought me a tissue (?? I know I said the right word for paper towel?)

We managed down a few bites of blueberries and then I attempted to clean up the area.

Ok, fine, we left a few stains on the chair, floor, and our clothes.  UGH.

Go back in to class, feeling like it was going to be a long remaining thirty minutes.

I jostle Elise, set her on the floor, hold her up, give her toys, she's fussy at this point.

It's getting closer and closer to her bedtime routine.

Then it happens again.  We were in the middle of an exercise.  It was my turn to speak.  And she spits up EVERYWHERE.  All over my pants, all over her face.

UGH. UGH. MORE CARROTS EVERYWHERE.

At this point, I'm completely lost to the class and we've sufficiently made ourselves big distractions to the remaining students and our teacher.

My teacher just looks at me and says "To sa stava."  That happens.  Yes, yes, it does.  It happens.  It really did just happen.

Elise starts wailing.  I look desperate.  We pack up (all while she's wailing and class is trying to continue on).

UGH. Haha.  At this point I just start chuckling to myself.  Out loud.

Then we head for the door.  I apologize for making such a big distraction and am still chuckling.

E sleeps all the way home and I think to my carrot-covered self...

To sa stava.  You know, sometimes, that just happens.

(we kind of looked like this.  only one of us in tears. more stressed out.  and carrots all over :)