Great expectations

What a Saturday? I think I need to start thinking of positive thoughts in a general sense of what to expect of my kids and also of me and my reactions towards them and the people around us.
Maybe I am afraid of being scrutinized by others that do not know me, do I need to have a thick skin?

When my aunt invited us to lunch at Trump National Golf Course, I was already having a lump in my throat, how are my kids going to react to a new environment. Clemmie always get excited and Theo withdrawn after the excitement was over.

There wasn't a chance of stopping Clemmie from running back and forth or going up and down the stairs, but I do not want her to do it inside the club house. I took her outside kicking and screaming and try to distract her with everything and yes a stair outside! We probably went up and down the stairs 20 times. And a gentleman who saw her inside crying, commented how happy she was outside.

Theo on the other hand was having an anxiety attack. He usually was good with sitting down at the table, but he told me he was afraid of the people inside the club house. I think he meant the chattering noise of people talking and the unfamiliarity of faces. He was afraid to go inside and sit at the restaurant and had an hour of tantrum. He was running in and out of the club house. Thank goodness my nanny Maria was a good sport. She held on to Clemmie, as I took hold of Theo and try to understand his fear.

He also needed some vestibular input and wanted to be flipped upside down and after 5 minutes of flipping, he calms down. And he needed some big hugs and some rocking, too.

The whole time of having the hostess watched us going back and forth and in and out of the club house, I am sure she is wondering what the heck we were doing and why my kids were crying. Some guests were also stunned with sadden eyes or shocked with disgust.

After an hour and a half with nothing much to do since I couldn't just leave my kids and go in and eat. We head off to McD's play place. And enjoyed ourselves there.

The day activities makes night and day of my kids. I was dreading to go to dinner at Cheesecake Factory. JP and my parents took them. They sat through a two hour dinner without a fuss and even had dessert.

I am a believer of sensory diet and I hope my dad did, too.