nice day for a bike ride... NOT!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-31-2003
nice day for a bike ride... NOT!!!
7
Mon, 06-05-2006 - 4:59pm

At the end of last summer, I bought a bike trailer from a friend. We'd never had one before, and as a result, I hadn't been bike riding in nearly 2 years. We never got around to using it last fall, and so we finally brought the thing out this past weekend and installed it. I took Sylvia for a ride on Sunday afternoon and she loved it -- in fact she wouldn't let me stop, and so I rode around for an hour with her in the trailer. (Keep in mind, please, that I hadn't ridden my bike in over 2 years, and I was pulling my 35 pound daughter in the trailer.) Needless to say, I was completely exhausted and my butt was KILLING ME, but I was so happy she liked riding with me! DH took Sebastian for a ride later in the afternoon, and he enjoyed it, too.

So... this afternoon, both kids wanted to go for a ride. The trailer seats two, so I said, sure! Sounds great! I strapped them both in, got my sore tush back on the bike and set off. But for whatever reason (the fact that she was squeezed in the trailer with her brother, the fact that she woke up at 5:45am today, or about a billion other possibilities), Sylvie was very anxious today -- she didn't like it when I stopped pedaling to coast around corners ("MOMMY PEDAL! MOMMY PEDAL!!!") and she kept being worried that I wasn't going to go where she wanted to go ("Go see the kitty cat mailbox!" "Okay, let's go see the kitty cat mailbox." "KITTY CAT MAILBOX!!! WAAAAAHHHH!") But in spite of all that, she and Sebastian were still enjoying the ride and didn't want to stop. I said we'd take one more loop around the neighborhood and then go home, since I could sense a meltdown coming from Sylvie. Unfortunately, I was so concerned about Sylvie losing it that I didn't have my "Sebastian meltdown" radar on... All of a sudden he burst into LOUD CRYING -- I still have no idea why -- which of course got Sylvie crying. By the time we got home, I think I had the entire neighborhood on their phones calling child protective services. There I was, pedaling down the street, and both of my kids were in the trailer screaming at the absolute top of their lungs, in chorus. All I could do, when the neighbors poked their heads out to see what all the racket was about, was smile and shrug; sometimes I got a weak, confused wave in return.

I am so freakin' worn out right now. We got home and I comforted the kids as well as I could (considering I still don't know what set them both off), and sat them in front of a Blues Clues DVD with orders to "Chill OUT!!!" Plus now my butt is even more sore!!!

Calgon, take me away...

Jennifer

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
Mon, 06-05-2006 - 5:36pm

Dear Jennifer,

What a scene! Still and all, sounds good and rife with potential that really they both like being in the bike trailer. Noone should care about a couple of screaming kids, esp. when they can see all you are doing in biking, not smacking them around, fer Pete's sake... Maybe you should take a few days rest for your butt and then go biking without them a bit to build your legs and wind up again before taking the 2 of them together again for long trips. Good exercise for you and good for them to have a restful way to hang out, win-win.

When Malcolm was little, he spent a lot of time in the jogging stoller. I had clients who would go running with me, do walking lunges alongside me while I pushed the stroller. I often had Malcolm doing his listening program or just headsets with music he really liked, brought books for him to look at, snacks, etc. He loved those rides. As he got bigger, he would yell "Faster, Mommy, faster!" Funny boy...

Sara
ilovemalcolm

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2005
Mon, 06-05-2006 - 8:54pm
Jennifer,
Were we seperated at birth? Talk about living parallel lives. I brought Jake to therapy this morning and of course he didn't want to leave. He started screaming his head of then Ella starting bawling and I'm walking to the car with 2 screaming kids almost dying of mortification. As I was strapping them into their car seats an older lady walked over to me and said"God, I don't miss those days." As far as the sore butt goes, all I can say is DONUT CUSHION! I broke my tailbone having Jake and sat in one for 6 months. I still use it! Well heres hoping tommorrow is a better day. At least it's never boring!
Teresa
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2001
Mon, 06-05-2006 - 9:20pm
Ok, dont get mad at me and if it ahd been me I would have been mortified, but I started snikcering as I read your post.

 


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Avatar for insideout418
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 06-05-2006 - 10:08pm

I say that too, Tina!


Jennifer, you are a brave woman, taking the two of those kids out like that!

Follow me
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 1:00am

Yeah, but just think how toned your butt will be!

Ok, not much help after monster head turning meltdowns I know but hey, I have been there a million times and never has child services shown up on my door. I think most of the time parents aren't thinking "geez what a bad mom" they are thinking "dear lord, that poor girl. I wish I could help but I am glad it is her and not me"

Renee

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 9:06am

Oh Jennifer......what a day! I feel for you (minus the sore buns). My little one, Jack, just discovered that he likes the wagon - so I have been taking him on daily walks (weather permitting). We have a toddler playground at the end of our street and wind up there most of our walks. Yesterday, I tried to get him out of the playground because it was lunch time and I got the "I'm throwing myself on the ground and screaming as loud as my almost 2-year old body can managing" routine. I proceeded to pick him up - got kicked in the groin and head-butted on first attempt - had to resort to the fireman carry and leave the wagon at the playground. The joys of motherhood.

Hang in there Jennifer.......if nothing else.....you'll have Buns of Steel soon enough!!!

Christie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-31-2003
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 10:26am

Thank you guys so much for all the support! And thanks for listening to me vent... I'm sure I exaggerated yesterday -- I'm sure no one was actually going to call child protection services on me, and really the only people who looked truly scandalized were a couple of elderly ladies at the end of the street, who believe that children should be seen and not heard. But it just wore me out, and I *hate* it that my kids aren't capable of telling me what's wrong, you know? I mean, it could have been something as simple as getting some suntan lotion in their eyes -- or it could have been "I hate riding in this stupid bike trailer and I want to go home right NOW!" I just have no idea.

In any case, the thought of nice toned buns did make me cheer up! ;-) And I do think I'll try it again -- maybe over the weekend when DH is with me for support.

Thanks so much everyone!!!

Jennifer