Happy Columbus Day!

Normally, I would say Gattiland is ALWAYS a good idea. Night or day, I am ready and willing for a delicious pizza buffet, and don't get me started on the ranch dressing. So, when my friend suggested our mom's group go for "Moms Eat Free Monday" I thought, cheap pizza? It is on!! Well, that was, until we got there and realized that every. single. school aged child in the area was there. Oh how you vex me Columbus Day!!

Here is the thing about buffets and toddlers. You have to take at least 15 trips to get everything you need. They are only possible with more than one adult. There is no way you can do it on your own. Remember that riddle about having one boat, a bag of rice, a chicken and a fox to get across a river? That is sorta how it is at a buffet. The baby is the boat. You can't leave the baby at the table alone, but you can only carry the baby and one other item OR if the baby will stand to be in the rolling highchair they provide, hands enough for two things, but you have to kick the highchair to your table.

So here is how it sorta went, and remember, this is with long lines and people apparently from a planet where lines don't exist. Seriously people, I realize you dressed up in your finest cut off shorts and wife beater to come today, but pretend you are in Walmart, you know that place you usually hang out in? They have lines THERE, so I know you know what they are.

Trip One: Baby in highchair, plate on highchair tray, four pieces of pizza gotten after 10 minutes of line. Half way through, baby is no longer in highchair, the diaper bag is. Plate is balanced in my hand and highchair is kicked to table.

Trip Two: Baby at table with friend (thank god!) I run to get two drinks, forks, napkins and watermelon for friend's baby.

Trip Three: Ranch dressing and salad bar for Oliver.

Trip Four: Refill on juice that Oliver has drank as I was running back and forth to the buffet.

Trip Five: Macaroni and cheese which took me 5 minutes because the 6 year old in front of me wanted to be sure to get the exact right macaronis on her plate.

Trip Six: Standing in line again until the fourth person decided there was actually no line, just a bunch of people standing around for their health, and I gave up on pizza.

I burned more calories running to and fro from the buffet and then chasing Oliver around the game room (pretty sure Oliver has ADD now) than I did eating the three tiny pieces of pizza I ended up having. I did end up nursing Oliver in the middle of 4000 school aged kids and their parents though, with no incident of questioning remarks or angry eyes. At that point though, it was just so I could scarf the infinitesimal amounts of pizza I ended up grabbing.

Note to self: check the calendar BEFORE you leave the house!