A Crazy St. Patty's Day Weekend

In the past if I was to write a post with this title it would include stories of shenanigans at the St. Patty's Day Parade in Dallas and block party on lower Greenville. I think I have made it to that every year since 2005, minus the year we were in Colorado (or just moved back). But this year, sadly, we missed again.

I don't know if this weekend was weird because it's the end of Spring Break or because of St. Patty's Day... or for no reason at all.

It all started on Friday afternoon when Rustin and I decided to try out the park by our new house with Avery. Right when we arrive there are several "big kids" running around everywhere. I walk with Avery to the playground to make sure she doesn't get trampled and one of the kids keeps saying "sh*t" over and over. I swear he couldn't have been older than 3rd grade. The teacher in me (and mom) wanted to say something, but I was in such shock, I didn't know what to say. Looking back at it, it still makes me mad he had the audacity to cuss like that in front of two adults. And I know Avery doesn't understand it right now, but it also made me mad he would talk like that in front of my little girl. But like Rustin said, his parents are more to blame because that's where he's hearing it (but I'm still mad).

Then a girl's dad comes up and gets on his cell phone and starts smoking a cigarette...ugh! There was pizza crust, an empty bag of chips and subway cup on the ground all of which Avery, of course, tries to play with. Overall the people were rude, the park was dirty, and it was just a weird vibe. Luckily our old park is only a mile away, so I will be going to that one from now on. Maybe I'm a "prude" but I feel like I should have a reasonable expectation to be able to take my daughter to a park and her not hear obscenities or smell second hand smoke! 

Then we went to Kroger to pick up a few things and there were three teenagers standing beside a truck and one of them was peeing...in broad daylight...at Kroger. For some reason Rustin honked at them, and I start freaking out thinking they're going to get mad and key our car, but they just started laughing.

Then today I went to Hobby Lobby to get some fabric. The lady who works there is really nice and since I go there all the time for my Etsy shop, I see her a lot. Today she started talking to me about her friend's baby and how she is not on any type of schedule - she eats when she wants and goes to bed when she wants, etc. Since Avery was with me, I was assuming her friend's baby was about the same age as Avery, or maybe even an older toddler, and I could see why she was concerned. I mean a two year old picking their own bed time would definitely be a disaster!

She goes on to tell me how she told her friend she NEEDS to get her baby on a schedule because that's how they learn discipline and if she doesn't put her on a schedule, she'll be undisciplined. I finally asked her how old the baby is and she said..... TWO months!! 

I couldn't believe it. It was like the kid cussing at the playground - the times I want to say something the most are the times I freeze up. I simply told her that it took me a long time to get Avery on schedule, but she eventually did.

If someone would have told me what that woman is telling her friend when Avery was two months old, I probably would have cried and had a breakdown. As well documented in many other posts, even though I tried my best, I couldn't get Avery on a schedule until about 8 months.

I believe she just had a different temperament (along with reflux, milk allergy, etc.) and just wasn't the schedule type and it took her a little longer. She eventually got on a routine and is doing fine. I don't believe in ANY WAY that whether or not a baby is on a schedule at that young of an age is any type of indicator of whether or not that child will be disciplined! I just think it's sad that people make other people feel like they're setting their kids up for failure for the rest of their lives because they don't fit into a certain mold when they're not even a year old yet! I guess I'm biased, but that really bothered me. 

Ok I'm done ranting. For the first time in years, I have to say that I'm ready for Spring Break to be over.