Car Seat Trouble...and A Baby in a Bar?....

I consider myself to be intelligent. Sure, I'm not a brain surgeon, but I consider myself to be smart.

However, last night...I questioned this theory. It was just one of those nights that I wasn't on my game...my "mom game" that is.

Here is how it went down.

After a long day at work, I returned home to a smiling Jackson. He had spent the day with my Mom and was in a great mood.

Justin was gone for the night with work. So my Mom and I planned a night out for dinner and shopping.

We walked out to the car excited for our "girls night" (plus Jackson) to begin. I put Jackson in his car seat...only to realize the car seat wasn't buckled in. I realized then that earlier that day a co-worker had unfastened the car seat to make more room for himself. The only problem was I had NO IDEA how to buckle it back in. Why are these car seats so hard to fasten in? You would think that a MOM should be able to do it? After several swear words, taking my coat off because I was starting to sweat, and even shaking the car seat (Jackson wasn't in it)...I gave up.

Right then, my Mom politely pointed out to me that I left the diaper bag inside. Of course I did. I went inside to retrieve the diaper bag and my Mom attempted to fasten the car seat. I came out to it secured to the car...I was certain it wasn't the "right" way so my Mom sat in the back to make sure Jackson was OK.

Finally, we were on our way.

I drove around Greenwood showing my Mom some of the restaurants we could choose from. She was on the phone to my Grandma. I would slow down at each restaurant and asked if that place would be OK. She just kept chatting. After 30 minutes of gabbing with my Grandma, Mom got off the phone and asked why we hadn't settled on a place. I explained I had been waiting on some feedback from her and she told me she thought I was talking to Justin on the phone when I was really asking her opinion. We both just laughed and finally settled on Olive Garden.

When we arrived, the lady at the front mentioned there was a 20 minute wait. I did what I have done for years to avoid having to wait. As I was holding my 8 month baby in my arms, I asked if we could sit in the bar instead of waiting for the dining room. That's right folks...I asked if I could take a baby....in a bar! The hostess just looked at me and didn't know what to say. Finally, it registered. I couldn't take Jackson in there. I politely noted that I had forgotten you weren't allowed to take children in the bar and sat down to wait our turn.

Dinner was great. Jackson behaved. My mom and I talked and laughed.

However, by the time all this happened it was 8:30 p.m. No time for shopping. Plus, I was exhausted after all of this!

We returned to the car with the rigged car seat and made it home safely.

Justin returns home today...and will fix the car seat.

P.S. Why do they make the car seats so hard to install...I'm thinking of writing a letter!...and kicking the coworker who unfastened the car seat to begin with!