Today I took all three of my children to see the Monet exhibit at our contemporary art museum and I was shocked that it was not a bust. Granted, we went with a friend so I had an extra set of hands and it was Toddler Thursday, so there were a few (ok, one) activities specifically geared towards small children. But still...
A trip to the art museum has been on my to-do list for a long time. About five years, to be exact. The last time I was able to enjoy one of the many traveling exhibits our city has to offer was shortly before the birth of my oldest child. Once he came along and his brother joined us just 17 months later, hubby and I would've sooner cut off our right legs than attempt to plan an outing involving our children and this particular museum.
Of late, though, the children have been acting, well...almost human. We can eat out without it turning into a total fiasco. They will attend movies, children's plays and concerts, and sporting events without acting like psychotic whining freaks (most of the time). We have actually really been able to do a lot of fun stuff lately that would've been an absolute nightmare when they were younger, which is why I felt emboldened to tackle the art museum after all these years. Naturally, they were unimpressed by Monet but did enjoy the children's art activities and the hot dogs and cupcakes at lunch time. They were also pretty jazzed to press the buttons in the parking garage elevator and run up and down the museum's circular ramps (which I know the museum staff just LOVES), so all in all, the outing was a success for us.
But it hasn't always gone down that way. While at the museum, I watched a woman that I was fairly sure was a Baby Buncher struggle with her two little ones. She and I were chatting amicably as our babies played together alongside each other, until all of the sudden her older child dirtied his diaper and then sprinted out of the room. She grabbed the baby and dashed off to retrieve the toddler, leaving her diaper bag and stroller behind. They returned a few minutes later and I watched her grapple with diaper changing a toddler with a baby on the move, and then getting everyone situated in play areas, only to have them lose interest and decide it was time to move along to the lunchroom. Honestly, it was like looking back in time at myself three years ago.
Per Linda's post earlier this week, I felt compelled to assure her that things would get easier. And they will - I'm living proof of that.
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