McDonalds NEMall PlayPlace Review

I took the kiddos to our favorite McDonald's for lunch today. Basically, I needed to run enough energy off Big Girl to prevent her from rending a tear in the fabric of the universe.

Recently, the McDonalds at NorthEast Mall (Pipeline @ 820 in Hurst, TX) underwent major renovations. Here are my thoughts:

1. Thank you for continuing to have a bathroom just for the little ones. It is hugely helpful.
2. The flat screen against the back wall is not.  Can't see it, can't hear it, didn't come to McD's to watch TV.
3. I understand the point of nailed down furniture.  But it's not practical.  If you are unable to change the configuration of the chairs/tables, many families can't easily be accomodated.
4. Hey!  Some of us have strollers!  And mine doesn't fit very easily in the PlayPlace.  I'm limited in where I can sit, because of overly narrow aisles, and that means that if I get there after those tables are already taken, I either can't come in, or I have to hope someone takes pity on me and moves to a table only accessible for walkers, not riders.
5. Safety, safety, safety - I can definitely see that a lot of thought for this was put into the redesign and it is much appreciated.  I know that when Big Girl goes into the hamster-trail-for-kids, she's going to be safe.
6. But could we maybe have kept a few outlets?  Like on high-up non-reachable-by-mini-monsters areas?  One of the things I love best about McDonald's is your free WiFi...but if I want to work there while my little ones play, my battery is eventually going to go dead...
7. Squooshy floors are cool and make running around without shoes by drunk-on-giddiness toddlers lots safer.  Love the new floors you put in.
8. Napkins and condiments would be appreciated.  When you go to McD's with a million mini people, and have fifteen trays to balance with two hands, stopping to get napkins and condiments on the way past is sometimes out of the question.  But...I don't want to bring my squirts in just to abandon them there while I go on a napkin-and-ketchup retrieval mission.  Could we maybe have a napkin and ketchup station in the munchkin room?

Overall, it's a great place.  Some of the redesign areas don't thrill me, but Big Girl loves it, Bubba looks on with envy (gotta walk first, dude), and I get some time to sit and relax while they have fun.

Over-Under on Police Relationships

My husband was a cop when I met him; it's all I've know him to be as a profession.  But not everyone marries into the law enforcement lifestyle.

I'm curious.  How many of you were together with significant other before they became a police officer?  How many, like me, didn't meet your other half until he was already in law enforcement?

I'm wondering what the over-under on these types of relationship is - is it harder to make the transition into being a police spouse, or is it harder to go into a relationship knowing that it may be challenging, both psychologically and logistically?

I think that it must surely be harder if you suddenly transform into a police spouse.  Afterall, you knew a totally different life beforehand.  Whereas if you go into it with your eyes open to the realities of this life, you may be better prepared.

But maybe that's just my opinion from my own experience.  What do you think?

Talking About Dinner

I talk to my little kids like they're big people. To the extent where it may be excessive. And I fill in their responses in my head...which is definitely excessive. But funny. Here's my discussion with Bubba about eating dinner.

Mom: I made you a nice big bowl of rice, baby boy. It's yummy.

Bubba: Boobs?

Mom: I know you're angling for some mommy time, but we're going to eat dinner first, honey.

Bubba: No boobs?

Mom: Open wide, Bubs. Yum, yum, yums.

Bubba: Are you sure no boobs?

Mom: Come on baby. Open up. Yummy nummies for the boy.

Bubba: Ok. Rice. Huh.

Mom: That's a good boy. Niiiiice big bite. Good job!

Bubba: Pbbbbbt.

Mom: No, no, baby. You gotta keep it in your mouth.

Bubba: Nope. Pbbbbt.

Mom: Good lord, how much did you have in your mouth?

Bubba: Lots. Pbbbbt.

Mom: Let's try this again, honey. Oooooo-pen. There we go. Nice, big....

Bubba: Pbbbbt. Haha.

Mom: Clearly, this isn't working. Let's try a drink.

Bubba: Finally. Boobs!

Mom: Nope, I meant for me.

[end scene]

Dealing with Fear

One of the biggest fears in being married to a law enforcement officer is injury or death.  For some police spouses, this fear can be debilitating.  Others learn how to compartmentalize this fear so that it doesn't overtake the non-scary portions of law enforcement relationships.

Here are a few thoughts to help ease your fear:

• Your husband or wife is superbly trained for the job that they are doing.  Being a police officer requires intense and lengthy learning, including role playing scenarios that have the potential to go badly.
• Your husband or wife, as a police officer, is probably hyper aware of the world around them.  If there are signs availble that something bad is going down, they probably already know and are working out their response in their head.
• Your husband or wife wants their job and in fact may feel called to that line of work as an avocation.
• Your husband or wife also wants their life; they aren't going to do anything stupid and when they do put themselves in harm's way, it's done so in a calculated fashion.
• Trust.  Trust, trust, trust.  Trust that you husband or wife will do what is necessary to stay safe.  Trust that whichever higher power you believe in will look out for him or her.  And trust that if something does go badly, you will have the strength to deal with it.

Hugs!

Snow Days and Scheduling

My husband works what I consider to be an odd schedule. It's on 2, off 2, on 3, off 2, on 2, off 3. Repeat. I guess it's nice, because it's a 14-day schedule, so it replicates every two weeks. His shifts are 12 hours each, which turn into 14 hours each when commuting time is added, plus that blanket time in arriving for shifts early and leaving shifts a few minutes late. But he has different days off different weeks, and that can make scheduling tricky. I don't work different days different weeks, and our daughter, who attends a Montessori preschool, doesn't go to school different days different weeks.

We have a pretty delicately balanced work around, which I think is common to police families. Since we work opposite shifts, we cover for each other a lot. Which works great...until you factor in training classes, work trips, court dates, traded shifts...or snow days. Yes, even in north Texas we have the occasional snow day.

Or 3!

Screws up roads, cancels schools, kills schedules.

So I'll be staying home today to watch kiddos while the hubby rests and gets ready for his next shift tonight. And I'll be thanking my lucky stars that I am able to work remotely for my job as needed...while digging deep for patience and creativity in balance kids and work.

Other days, one of my husband's aunts saves us by watching the kids when our schedules collide. We wouldn't make it without that help, and our kids love having a surrogate grandma nearby since their own grandparents all live thousands of miles away.

What are your coping techniques when schedules go haywire?

Companion Pieces

Breakfast at Tiffany's: Texans and Snow

0 to Mom: Kids and Snow Days