Three Parks

One Saturday Norm took Josie and Owen to two parks. Dads make decisions like that often without thinking about the long term consequences for the mothers who stay at home with their children. Every day since the two park Saturday, Josie has made it very clear that a normal outing now consisted of not one, but two park visits.

"First the sand park. Then the hill park, okay mom?" said the world's smallest backseat driver.

"Got it," I said.

"Where we going after?" she asked just to make sure I knew, not because she really wanted my opinion.

"Can we just focus on the two parks we are going to and not worry about whats happening next," I pleaded.

"Okay," she said in a polite and uncharacteristically obedient tone. At the red light I tried to figure out which cartoon character said, "Okay," like that because it certainly wasn't something she came up with on her own.

As we rounded out our time at the hill park, I corralled them to the car. I buckled Owen in and proudly walked around to buckle Josie in, grateful I remembered this time.

"Where we going next?" Josie asked as I opened the passenger door.

"Home," I said.

"Three parks," she said.

"No way," I said.

"THREE PARKS!" she yelled and then started in on a chant that Owen quickly joined.

"Three Parks! Three Parks! Three Parks!" They repeated over and over while Josie held three chubby fingers in the air.

I decided it was best to ingnore them and deal with Josie's wrath behind the closed door of our garage. But the whole way home Josie held strong with her chant while I drove around cursing the cartoon character that had taught her to count.