My 2-year-old and 6-year-old sons and I were at the Starbucks inside Barnes & Noble having an afterschool treat of hot chocolate (for them), Chai Tea Latte (for me) and a brownie when my 6-year-old said, “I gotta go to the bathroom”.
Thinking that the restroom was right around the corner, I let them both carry their hot chocolate with them when…
SPLAT!!!!
My 2-year-old dropped his full hot chocolate all over the floor. Trying to deal with this as calmly as possible, I just sighed heavily with an apologetic look being offered to all of the retirees sitting around, directed my children back to the counter and informed the barista that there was a HUGE puddle in the middle of all of the tables. The barista insisted he have another one. “Give him another chance!” she bellowed.
I folded. He got another drink.
Quickly, I took my 2-year-old’s hot chocolate in one hand, held my Chai Tea Latte in the other and we scurried off to the bathroom, which, as it turns out, was upstairs. As we were getting off the elevator, my 6-year-old says to the little dude, “You hold my hot chocolate. I need to go really bad!” I opened my mouth to tell my 6-year-old to hold his own drink, but he disappeared through the bathroom door in a blur. My hands were full, so I just prayed the little dude would grip the cup right. We slowly walked through the books toward the bathroom. As we rounded the corner to the bathroom…
SPLAT!!!!!
He dropped my 6-year-old’s hot chocolate all over the floor.
By this time, my oldest had finished and came out to see the mess. He then went back in with his little brother close behind and they come back out with a SINGLE PAPER TOWEL EACH. Bless their hearts. Thankfully, the huge puddle was right beside the utility closet. I didn’t want to bother anyone AGAIN, so I snuck in the closet and got a mop. We mopped and wiped and mopped and wiped…and then dashed off toward the train table. I let them play for a little while and then they picked out the book, “How Full Is Your Bucket?” I thought it was an appropriate book for the type of day we were having. Full buckets = really happy people. Empty buckets = not-so-happy people.
Our buckets were getting low.
After we finally made it to the check out counter, I swiped my credit card and then the 2-year-old darts off out the door. I sent my 6-year-old after him. He basically tackled him in the atrium of the store. They’re being loud. I’m stressing out. The figurative bucket over my head was spilling out and soaking my hair. In the middle of this chaos…
SPLAT!!!
I spilled my Chai Tea Latte right beside the credit card machine.
