My Birthday Date with Murphy

You know... who wrote the Law?... Okay that was an attempt at foreshadowing the subject matter of this post (yes they are all starting to fall into a pattern. In fact my blog is become a bit redundant, I fear.) Although thanks to EVERYone who volunteered their help with my kids recently. I love you all. And don't worry - I WILL be making calls if I do get to that point again.

The Story.

Since my birthday fell in the middle of the week, I figured we could celebrate on the weekend by going out, but we did decide to go out to lunch on my actual birthday. Travis has been so excited to take me to this sushi buffet in downtown Rockville that he loves, so yesterday we made plans to meet there for lunch. I was up and down about bringing the kids because, you know, it was sushi, but in the end decided to since they were already excited about the idea of going to lunch with Daddy. I just packed them a lunch and figured they could sit with us. Unconventional perhaps, but hey, it was my birthday. So we arrived at the restaurant. I schlepped my three kids inside, and we sat down to wait for Travis. Let me just make sure you heard the part where I said "sushi buffet," since both of those details are key. It means that of the four of us, 1) I will be the only one actually eating at the restaurant, and 2) I will not be going through the buffet line toting 3 kids, and therefore will have to wait for Travis. So we waited. The girls ate granola bars. And we waited some more. The waitress felt bad and brought me a bowl of miso soup. More waiting. The woman next to us also felt bad and offered to keep an eye on my girls so I could fix myself a plate, which I did. And then ate voraciously (because I was starving by this point) and waited some more. Then got another plate. One and one-half hours later, we gave up and went home. Of course it was very far past naptime for Brooklyn and I'll spare you the scenes in the restaurant where Kate had to use the restroom (four of us trooped in together) and then later threw a tantrum because I wouldn't let her eat my wasabi. (In retrospect it probably would have done us all a favor if I'd just let her eat the whole dollup.) The restaurant staff, who were all beyond nice and understanding to us, got that we were waiting for my prodigal husband, but to everyone else in the restaurant, I was just a mom who for some reason took three very small children to a sushi buffet. So they could just sit there and I could eat sushi for lunch. By myself.

Of course the first thing I did upon returning home was call Travis and find out what happened and/or chew him out for standing me up ON MY BIRTHDAY! Here is his side of the story (and I'll leave the rest for you to decide): He arrived before us and waited out on the sidewalk so he could flag me down and help me find the restaurant (kind of hidden, backing the main street) and save me a parking spot. Very chivalrous intentions. When he did spot me, I was suddenly right in front of him in the turning lane going away from the restaurant. I had missed the first entrance and had to turn around through another parking lot and pull out and U-turn and come back around to the correct parking lot entrance. It was as complicated as it sounds. However, he only saw me drive away and did not see me immediately U-turn and come back in. We don't know how he missed that part. Instead he waited on the curb for half an hour until he concluded that I must have been lost and the kids were giving me trouble so I gave up and went home. So he hopped in his car and went back to his lab. Without lunch. And without even popping into the restaurant. Later I was like, "Your ONE job was to meet me inside the restaurant! Let me worry about how I get there and where we park! You just come inside!" Needless to say I was pretty livid. Doreen reminded me of the cell phone part of the story. This post ought to be titled, "Why It Is Important to Charge Your Cell Phone." I pulled it out as soon as we got in the restaurant and discovered the battery was dead. Also Travis did try to call me and made the same discovery. So, my fault there. At least my lunch was really good, even if I did spend it alone in a grown-up restaurant with three tiny kids, drowning my sorrows in at least 20 lbs. of raw fish. Oh yes, on my birthday.

Otherwise it was good. And don't worry, he will make it up to me with an awesome dinner out this weekend. At which he will be in attendance. Oh and he came home that evening prepared to make a dinner of snow crab legs and asparagus, which was also good. Redemption comes one step at a time...