Church

I remember Dan saying once that it's pretty common for them to leave church very frustrated due to kids being loud, fussy, etc. That happened to me today, and not for the first time. With Braden's new job, he has to work every other weekend, which is common in the healthcare industry. When he was an ER Tech before we were married, he had a deal with someone that he would work every Saturday and this other guy would work every Sunday. Obviously, something like that is ideal, but Braden just got this job and hasn't found anyone to do that with yet. So, for the second time on a Sunday, today I dragged Jenna out of bed and drove Braden to work at o'dark thirty so I could have the car to go to church. I really don't like being dependent on someone for a ride anyway, but especially with a child. I want to be able to leave if I need to and not inconvenience anyone. Anyway, Jenna went back to sleep pretty quickly after returning home and eating, and then she slept until right before we left for church. Church was a doozy today. Jenna was having NONE OF IT. We were both exhausted from a long day yesterday and then getting up so early this morning. We lasted until after the sacrament was passed, and then I had to take her out in the hall and the Relief Society room for the rest of the meeting. I went back in for the closing hymn and prayer, and Jenna was being loud and cranky through all of it. (Does anyone else pray for the prayer to end so your kid won't sound so loud? Puts a whole other perspective on long prayers.)

I'd been kind of looking around for someone to take Jenna just for a minute so that I could go to the bathroom, because wow, I had to go. The thing is, we're new in the ward, so I don't really know many people, and I'm not going to hand my kid over to just anyone. I finally asked a lady with a kind face if she would and she was happy to. Thank goodness. I was getting really desperate. Haha, I actually thought to myself, well, I think that's her daughter and grandson with her, so she's not likely to abscond with Jenna. When I told Braden that, he said that it's pretty sad that you have to think about that even in church, but in my opinion you do. I've heard some stories, and yes, in LDS meetinghouses. Anyway, I don't know how single moms do it. My hat goes off to them. When I returned from the bathroom, I took Jenna back, and she immediately started fussing very loudly. Cheerios worked for about 2 minutes, and then I had seriously just had it. I was like, we are both very cranky, and we're disrupting the meeting for other people. So I decided to go, because Jenna was about to have a complete meltdown. Sometimes church is very difficult...it sure helps to have your hubbin there!

On a side note, I would like to know how moms go to the restroom when you have your kid(s) with you, and they're not old enough to walk or listen to you. What do you do? The bathroom floor is nasty nasty. One mom whose blog I read said that her 3-year-old was in the stall with her at the airport, and the little girl opened the stall door. The mom didn't realize it until she looked up a few seconds later and saw a long line of women staring at her. EMBARRASSING!!! And what about trying on clothes with a kid? I don't even do it with Jenna right now. She'd just crawl right under the door when I was half undressed, I just know it. :)