THE MALL EXPERIENCE I WILL NEVER FORGET
The other day we went to the mall for a small play date. They have a small playground area inside the mall and with it being 100 degrees outside we choose to go there instead of the park. We played for about an hour which consisted of me running after my boys who are trying to escape the play area. Lunch followed in the food court for another 45min. Logan then asked if we could go up to the toy store to play with the trains. This store is on the complete opposite side of the mall from where we are parked and I had no stroller and two kids but I figured we would be fine. We played in the toy store for about 45 min. So we have now been in the mall playing and things for about 3 hours. It was time to GO! Wesley was getting crabby and he needed a nap. There was a kids stool there that I have wanted to buy and it was finally on sale so I HAD to buy it. Knowing I was really far away from our car and had two kids and a diaper bag I proceeded to buy the stool. They at least had a large bag to put the stool in so I then figured it wouldn’t be too bad getting back to the car. As we left the store our first tantrum occurred but we got through it.
We started towards the car and I saw a sign for pants on sale at the Gap which Logan and Scott both need for church so I figured we would quickly stop in and look. It would only take 5 min. or so I thought. When we got into the Gap I let go of Logan’s hand and off he went running out of the store down the mall. I ran after him stool and Wesley in hand. I caught him and we went back into the store and 2 min. later he throws a fit. The nice store associate tried to help by bringing him in the back and giving him stickers. That did help for 10 sec. and then it was back to screaming and wanting to run away. So we were obviously done in the Gap.
We went down the escalator, which he LOVES but at the bottom there are large toy cars to rent while you shop and he HAD to see them. So I let him and Wesley play around them and on them for about 5 min. I then told him we had to go. Of course the tantrum was about to start so I just started to walk away and said I was leaving and proceeded to hide behind a plant to watch him. He played for about 1 more min and then came running to find me. He held my hand after that until he saw the water. In the middle of the mall there about a 30 by 30 foot area of water that is about a foot deep with fountains and big steps leading down to it. I told him we could see the water another day and that we had to go. He continued toward the water so I told him again that I was leaving. I walked about 15 feet away and stood at the bottom of the escalator saying, “bye Logan. I am leaving. Do you see me? I am going up the escalator.” I then started up the escalator while he sat down next to the water with his hands in his lap like a nice little boy. While this is happening I see ladies sitting at some tables nearby saying “is she really going to leave her child?” Of course I am thinking, “Yeah, like I am going to just leave my child at the mall and I am going to go home…duh!!” So about ¾ the way up the escalator I look down again and what do I see?.....Logan IN the water walking around! OH MY GOSH!!! I about died. I got teary eyed because I was so irate! The down escalator was not just next to the up escalator. I had to walk all the way around and go down. I then put down the now stupid stool I bought and slowly walked over to the escalator and went down. At this point I see the ladies that were talking about us go over and got him out of the water where I am sure he was having the time of his life!! As I am coming down I hear the ladies say they should call security because they didn’t know where the mother was. I finally was close enough to say, “The mom is right here, I am RIGHT HERE!!!” I took his hand and proceeded to leave the mall with his shoes squeaking with water and Logan screaming bloody murder, “hold you, hold you!!!”. Which means hold me! I told him I wasn’t going to hold him because he is all wet and he chose to get in the water. I then let go of his hand again in the middle of Macy’s by the jewelry because I couldn’t take his dead weight anymore. He then stopped, still crying mind you to window shop and look at watches in their boxes where he got his finger caught. “Oh my heavens!!” is what is going through my mind. We finally got to the car and I immediately text Scott and said….”JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT HAVING ANY MORE CHILDREN!!!” He said,”OK. Why?” I obviously don’t mean that but at the moment I did! I didn’t tell Scott anything when we got home and he didn’t ask why he had no shoes or pants on.
After about an hour Scott took the boys to go get dinner and asked where his pants were and all I said was that he would need new ones and that his shoes were in the car.
At dinner time I finally was over the mall incident and asked Logan, “tell dad what you did at the mall today.” mind you he usually NEVER remembers what you did or will say something so random. He then told Scott with a smirk on his face, “I got in the water!” Scott immediately knew what had happened and looked at me and I said, “that is how our day was!”
ONE OF THE SCARIEST MOMENTS YET IN MY LIFE AS A MOTHER
It was a standard day for us at the Nichols home. We decided that we would go swimming with a group from church that we usually swim with at this particular apartment complex. When we got there I had everyone ready so all I needed to do was put on Logan's life floaty on. So we played in and out of the water for about an hour. My friend and I started to talk about her daughter, Rosalie and how she was so good at floating with just wings on. She is 1 ½. I asked if she wanted to try Logan’s rings/floaty to see how she would do and she said sure. So we took Rosalie’s water rings off and put on Logan’s floaty and she did alright. When we were through with that I decided that I wanted to see how Wesley would do in Rosalie’s water rings. So I proceeded to put them on his arms with my back facing 3 moms and 4 kids/babies. All of a sudden I hear my friend, Kaitlyn scream my name in a panic and I turn around and she had grabbed Logan from under the water. He came up and was startled for a min. and then started to cry really hard. He sat in my arms crying for about 20min. The only reason that my friend Kaitlyn knew he was under the water was because Rosalie, who she was holding made some noise and was pointing to the water behind her. Because of that she turned around and saw his hair about water. I held back my tears which were quickly coming to the surface. We got ready to go home and once we were in the car I couldn’t help but bawl my eyes out. I haven’t cried like that in a REALLY long time.
I can honestly say that today was one of the hardest days I have had with my children. Thoughts flooded my mind as I kept looking in the mirror at one of the cutest faces I have ever seen.
When I came home Logan went up to Scott and told said, “I went under water.” Scott asked if it was scary or fun since that is what we ask him when he jumps off the side to us. I then came around the corner to tell him what happen and his face went white and picked him up and hugged him.
All the issues we have been having with Logan lately, like the story I just shared about the mall were so insignificant. I would rather have battles of not listening and running away from me than not have Logan at all.
Scott hugged me after a few minutes of us being home and just let me cry. I have to say how grateful I am for that. As I drove home bawling I can honestly say I didn’t want to talk to anyone accept Scott. I just wanted him to tell me it’s ok. As he hugged me he said, “Maybe Heavenly Father knew that you needed reassurance or a reminder of how much you really love Logan”. That is the truest sentence I have ever heard come out of Scott's mouth. I love Logan, but when you go through battles day in and day out you forget how much you would do for this small little person and how you would never want them to go away.
I can’t explain the overwhelming feeling of love I felt for Logan as I hugged him once he came out of the water. It is such a blessing and treasure to be a mom. I love my boys so much. I am so grateful to have them. They truly do bring a smile to your face at any point of the day if I think of the funny little things that they do.
