The Starbucks Syndrome

The other day, I picked my 3 year old from school and instead of going around the corner to Starbucks; I drove 15 minutes out of my way to the only Starbucks drive-thru in the area.  I put Dora on and drove peacefully to get my afternoon coffee.  I would have driven around for 2 hours if I could have.  It was quiet.  When I ordered, I asked for a latte and a muffin.  In other words, “Can I have enough energy to get through bath time, happiness in the form of a cup, and a delightful carbohydrate?  May I please?”

I drove around and passed a little small mirror before the window.  What is up with that?  I caught a glimpse of myself and was AGHAST!  I really looked like I needed this jolt of caffeine.  I mean really.  Why on earth would they put a mirror in a Starbucks drive thru?  The whole point is so you don’t have to catch glimpses of yourself in any window reflection.  Looking in the rearview mirror is enough of a momentary look of me.  I seriously looked like a hobo.  I was actually dressed nicely for once.  I wasn’t in sweats or anything.  It was my eyes.  My eyes looked tired.  It is like I could see the dark lines of wrinkles in a split second glance.  It’s like they were NEON and GLOWING!  Where did they come from?  My hair was a little frizzy too.  Like I said, not pretty in my eyes.

I blame my 15 month old.  I hope I don’t hold this grudge for too long.  Haha!  Just kidding.  But truth be told, she is a bit of a maniac. 

Example: I was so excited to get my girls into their Halloween costumes for their first Halloween event.  My 15 month old whined and cried the minute those wings went on.  She was trying to pull out her pigtails, squirm out of her bumblebee costume, and dropped to her butt numerous times before we even left the door.  She cried the entire way there.  And when we got there, she squirmed, ran away, up the stairs, yadda yadda yaaaaa….

Not fun! -----For me at least!

I’m starting to think that it isn’t the teeth.  Ha!  How many times do we say that they are whiney and cranky because of the teething?!  And I’m starting to come to the terms with the fact that it isn’t because she is a second child either.  The thing is, she was like this at birth.  The minute she was born, she was fiery and screaming.  She is so cute, thank goodness because she screams at me all day long.  Sometimes I laugh it off and sometimes I cry it out.  What can you do?  I’m going to be one of those women who points to every wrinkle on my face and can name where they came from.  “

See that K, that is from when you cut molars.”

“This one is when I didn’t get dinner to you fast enough.”

“And right here is when you threw yourself to the ground for the umpteenth time.”

What can you do?  Ignore it.  Try to teach patience.  Blah, blah.

What will happen as a result?  Wrinkles.  Tired eyes.  Addiction to coffee.  Celebration at bed time.  Whatever!

So…do you still wonder why I drove 15 minutes out of my way?  Probably not.  But here it is… I didn’t want to chase her around Starbucks.  I didn’t want to use any form of strength to get them in and out of the car.  I didn’t feel like waiting in line and feeling her squirm around in my arms to get down and run away.  And, if there was crying, at least it would be in the comfort of my own car. And the end result is a beautiful thing; I could sip my lovely wonderful sunlight in a cup and ignore the rain behind me.