The Beauty of a Toddler

I have found that I forget from day to day what havoc Milo can wreak in public. Lately it seems this side of him comes out most specifically when we don't want it to. An example? OK... how about when either of us take him to eat on our own for some reason or another? Mark recently had the "Dickey's Experience" which involved BBQ sauce thrown across the restaurant and a near concussion for Milo when he ran straight into the metal railing while trying to run from Mark. From what I understand the resounding "BONG" that echoed through the restaurant caused the guys working in the back to come see what the racket was all about. When Mark told me the story I laughed knowingly and thought, "Yep, he can be a little stinker but he sure is cute."

Well, last night Mark was out of town and I did not want to cook so I took Milo with me to Fadi's which is Mediterranean food. Risky for a 2-year old, you say? Maybe. But that is what I wanted so off we went. It seems that after almost 2 full years I am still learning to gauge the situation...

• Problem #1 - Fadi's is a cafeteria style place in that you walk a line with a tray pointing out what you want. This is a challenge to accomplish when you have a death-grip on a toddler that wants to run in every other direction but where you are standing.
• Problem #2 - Milo is apparently not a huge fan of Mediterranean food.
• Problem #3 - Our little guy is sooooo over high chairs and only wants to sit in the big people chairs. Of course, there are interesting things going on anywhere and everywhere but the big people chair he is sitting on so keeping his little bottom in that chair is an aerobic activity in and of itself.
• Problem #4 - How do you get across to your precious toddler that throwing their eating utensil down for the umteenth time is NOT in fact the 2nd best alternative to getting down off of their big people chair and running screaming around the restaurant (especially when you are alone and if you leave your food the over-anxious bussboy is going to throw your hard-won food in the trash)?

If I had enough forethought I would have realized that solo-dining with Milo would not be a relaxing endeavor as it has almost become a tag-team sport when both Mark and I are there (it is that whole wrangling little bottoms into the chair thing). I was determined to persevere though and I did manage to finish my dinner while trying to ignore the curious and amused glances coming from all the other tables.

At the end of our meal when I had green beans and iced tea all over from Milo's preceding food exploits, he crawled into my lap, looked down at the ruin of my work clothes and then back up at me with those beautiful eyes, pointed and said "mess." As I wrapped my arms around him I said, "Yes baby, it is a mess" and I was content to hold him there for just a minute longer.

That is the beauty of toddlers. They can make you truly insane but then they do something so sweet your heart melts for them all over again. He is a little stinker... but he sure is cute.