We hadn't gone very far when Oliver said," I really got to go to the bathroom, mom." "Oliver," I responded annoyed, "there isn't a bathroom anywhere. You'll have to wait." We were walking past some woods. "Look at all the trees, mom. I could go potty by a tree." I thought about that. "Ok." So I stopped the stroller in a shady area of grass, instructed the kids to stand right next to it, and then took Oliver over to a tree. While he was going, the rest of the kids were waving to cars going by. "Mom, we just saw one of your piano students!" exclaimed Caroline.
After about 3/4 of a mile, we paused in another shadey spot and got water bottles out. Charles was looking a little green. When we got back to walking, Charles patted my back and said, " Mom, I don't feel so good," followed by sudden puking. Fortunately he was on the sidewalk throwing up in the grass, and I stood by, patting him on the back. Oliver stood on his other side, watching in fascination. Charles threw up over and over for quite a long time as Oliver said the following:
"Wow, Charles!"
"Gee, Charles. I'm really sorry you are throwing up."
"Man, you're doing it just like a dog. That's really great!"
"Oh, man, you're really sick Charles. I'm so sorry."
I was laughing so hard, but silently and standing behind Charles so he wouldn't see me laughing. because the whole thing was so funny. There I am on the side of the road, kid in the back pack carrier, another in the stroller, and three kids watching another throw up in the grass. People were driving by waving at the kids, who waved back.
Charles finished throwing up, and we kept walking. Oliver was holding my hand and commenting on things the entire way. "Mom, I just saw a tarantula eat a scorpion." I looked down at his excited face. "Oliver, that is a complete lie." Oliver laughed and said," Yeah, but I thought it was pretty funny."
At one point there was a long stretch of fencing that clearly belonged to a single person, and this huge black lab kept barking and jumping up so his head just peaked up over the top of the fence. It was rather alarming it first, the dog being very excited, and clearly trying to make it over. But we realized soon that he just wanted to say hi. As we walked along the bobbing dog head followed until the yard ended and the dog was left behind scratching at a whole in the bottom part of the end of the fence and barking furiously.
I had been rather tired around noon-I haven't slept well in about 2 weeks-but when we got in the door, I was worn out. I gave Oliver and Gabriel some cookies, fed Vivian and put her down for a nap, and had Jonathan turn on cartoons for everyone. I decided to go take a nap since Jon was going to be home soon. I figured cartoons would keep the 5 kids quiet for awhile. When Jon got home he came into the kitchen where Gabriel and Oliver were happily polishing off the rest of the package of oreos. They had black rings completely around their mouth. "Hi, Dad. We're eating cookies!" Oliver announced. "Yeah, we eatin' cookies," Gabriel echoed happily. "I see that," Jon answered glancing at the empty package. "How many have you boys had?" Oliver said, "4" around a big mouthful. Clearly they had passed four a long time ago. Jon put the remnant away."Where's mom?" "She's sleeping," Oliver offered. And I didn't get up until 6:30 this morning.
