One Day.... One day...

One day last week I thought it would be nice to take the boys out to lunch. So after our trip to the Library I packed them in the car and took them to The Cracker Barrel.

If you've never been to the Cracker Barrel... well, you don't really need to go. It's the kind of place you find right off highways where they serve breakfast all day and also sell ceramic frogs in flowered hats and penny candy and old fashioned bottles of coke. It seems very nice and homey until you realize they are trying to kill you via pancake.

Nicholas was excited to go to the Cracker Barrel. He liked the rocking chairs lining the porch. He was overwhelmed by the candy and the cluttered walls and the people. We walked up to the host, who asked "Will that be one or two kids menus?"

"I want Chicken Nuggets!" said Nick. Actually, he said it loudly. Very loudly. He almost yelled it. He probably thought he needed to yell to be heard over the clutter.

Once we got to our seats and I glanced at the menu, Nicholas ordered his own lunch - Chicken Nuggets (Tenders) and Chocolate Milk. The boys pretty much behaved themselves until the Chocolate Milks came.

This is when Nathan decided he didn't need me, Mommy, to help him drink his milk with a straw. He wouldn't let me position the milk so that straw would reach his mouth. He wouldn't let me touch his drink at all. Instead, he would remove the straw from the plastic cap and lick the one drop of chocolate milk from the straw, then scream because he could not replace the straw. I would have to help him - which caused more screaming - and then he would do it again.

As soon as the meal came Nathan screamed because he didn't have what I had (I know for a fact he wouldn't like a Ruben) and then threw every french fry I gave him on the floor. He was the reason we had to leave.

But Nicholas's behavior gave me hope that one day we can actually go to a place with tablecloths and no kids menu.