Pool Time Out

On June 5th, the temperature in Lincoln was 100 degrees, hello summer!  So, Jentry and I decided it was a fabulous day for the pool.  I called my sister to see if Isaac wanted to come with us, but he was napping.  Kelly eventually met us at the pool but much to my surprise she had brought Anna with her and no Isaac!  Kelly said that Isaac was very excited to come and was all "suited" up and ready to go when out of nowhere came the three-year-old, abrupt attitude 180.  He no longer wanted to go.  Kelly said she was so annoyed with him that she decided to just leave him...with his father of course.  None the less we girls had a great time splashing in the water and catching some rays.

Jentry and I enjoyed nearly three hours of wonderful water entertainment and then it was closing time.  I began packing up our things and asked Jentry to put on her flip-flops.  She was busy putting on more sunscreen.  I explained that we did not need more sunscreen and that it was time to go.  She looked right at me and said shouted "Five more minutes!"  I took the sunscreen away and she immediately began screaming very loudly and... may I mention... in the middle of a very crowed, public place.  I was extremely embarrassed and quickly realized my only saving grace would be to exit the pool as quickly as possible.  I scooped her up like a rag doll, grabbed the shoes and pretended to walk as if I had everything completely under control.  Ha!

By the time we made it to the car Jentry was hysterical.  She wanted to go back into the pool and put on her flip-flops.  No way were we going back in there!  I threw her shoes on the ground by the car and said "there, put them on."  No, that was not at all what she wanted.  I wrestled her into her car seat and listened to her sob all the way home.  Finally after a few minutes of holding her tightly at home, Jentry finally stopped crying long enough for me to get a few words in that she might actually hear.

We were supposed to go to Kelly's for supper and I asked her if she still wanted to go.  Of course, she wanted to see Isaac so we quickly changed clothes.  I asked her to put on her shoes, but we could not find them in the house.  We went out to look in the car, but when we were still not able to find them Jentry looked a me with a very shocked expression and said, "You left them at the pool!"  As if I didn't feel bad enough already, I realized she was right.  In her fit of rage, I was completely distracted and left her flip-flops lying in the parking lot.  Fortunately,  they we still there when we drove back to look.  Definitely not one of my proudest moments as a parent and looking back I definitely could have handled the situation differently.  Maybe Mom was in need of a time out?  However, Jentry is now fearful that if she does not listen her crazy mother will leave her shoes in the parking lot.  She keeps telling the story..."Remember, that one time, I was naughty and you left my flop-flops at the pool?"