I got home from an afternoon dentists' appointment and errands. One thing I had not exactly forgotten, but had not remembered how to work into my daily thinking, is how it gets dark in the afternoon, when it is actually winter and you aren't living next to the equator. So it was that time of day when it is light enough outside, but you have to turn on the lights inside. The kids were running around the living room, Buttercup had just woken up from her nap, and the dogs were jumping and going crazy. Daddy was looking frazzled.
Mark and I had a quick conference. We decided that the dogs needed a walk and the kids needed to get outside. These seem to be compatible goals, but we thought that by the time everyone got their outdoor clothes on we wouldn't have any light left. So I would take the dogs up to the trail near to our house, and Mark would take the kids out into the back field, where they could dig in the sand pit and get some crazy energy out. He asked that I could take one of the kids with me, because kids going loudly in two directions is much easier than kids going loudly in three directions. I was more than willing to take anyone along on my walk. Energy-wise, it would have been best to bring one of the older children, so Buttercup could get some wiggles out after her nap, and the intensity would be divided up. However, the benefit to Buttercup is that she can be dressed and moved by a parent.
We came back into the living room and I told all the kids to get their coats, rainpants, and boots on, because we were all going outside. Daddy started gathering outdoor clothing and issuing reminders about what to do with them. Hibiscus ran down the hall one way. Emerson ran around the living room the other way. I put the leashes on the dogs, who were wiggling and practically fainting with excitement, but calm and focused as soon as they knew that we had a goal in mind. Buttercup watched. Hibiscus jumped up and down and yelled. Emerson looked out the patio door and jumped up and down. I reminded them that everyone needed to get ready to go outside. I put Buttercup on a chair and popped on her fleece, shoes, and hat. The dogs stood in place and stared at me with all the intensity of their small, furry beings. Hibiscus ran in circles around the loop in the hallway. Emerson was jumping on the bed, which oddly enough is on the opposite side of the house than everything outside. I collected the dog treats, a wrap, and my keys. The dogs followed me while never losing sight of the door. Buttercup sat on the chair and adjusted her zipper. Hibiscus was running up and down the hallway, singing. Daddy had put rainpants in Emerson's hands, and he was enthusiastically flapping them up and down. I put on my coat and boots, picked up the leashes in one hand and Buttercup in the other. The dogs lovingly and quietly followed exactly behind me. Buttercup held onto my neck. Emerson came to see what was going on.
Hibiscus screamed "ARE YOU LEAVING??!!! DON'T GO!!! I WANT TO GO TOO!!!"
Daddy explained that I was taking the dogs out. I said I would be right back.
Hibiscus screamed "I DON'T WANT MAMA TO GO AWAY!!! I WANT TO GO TOO!!!!"
Emerson agreed that he wanted to come. Buttercup watched them. By now we were out the door on the porch, with the other kids on the other side of the door. Tears were running down Hibiscus's face and her mouth was contorted into the shape of a giant, upsidedown kidney bean. It is her special "I don't want someone to go" face.
I told them that they couldn't come with me because they weren't ready to go. See, I had on my boots and coat, and Buttercup had on her boots and coat, but Hibiscus and Emerson had not gotten ready and they didn't have any outside clothes on.
Hibiscus screamed "WE WILL GET READY VERY VERY FAST!!! LOOK AT ME I AM GETTING READY VERY FAST!!!" and she dived randomly towards the pile of outdoor clothes. Emerson turned to stare at the outdoor clothes too, and he picked up something in his non-rainpants hand.
I explained that we were leaving right now this second, in fact we had already left the house, and they weren't ready right now, so they could go outside with Daddy and I would be back soon.
Hibiscus screamed "I GETTING READY VERY VERY FAST!!!" Her wails followed our trip down the driveway as Daddy wrestled the house door shut and said comforting words, which were completely ignored.
The dogs jumped eagerly into the car and I bucked Buttercup into her carseat, which apparently wasn't a fast enough exit to convince Hibiscus that we were gone.
As I came around to my side of the car, the house door popped open again.
There was Hibiscus, wailing with deep misery and a great deal of noise. "I READY TO GO WIV YOO-UUUU!!!" she screamed. "LOOK, I IS ALL READY TO GO-OOOO!!!"
She was wearing one large shoe. And Daddy's spring jacket. Upsidedown.
We drove away.
But you know what? We did come back.
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