Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Doesn't this look like a great family snapshot? The White House in the background, Cole petting Slugger. Cute, right?

What you don't see....Cole is actually hitting Slugger (once again, he gets the world's most patient dog award). Cole is screaming at the top of his lungs. My child is barefoot, because he has actually taken off his shoes to throw them at onlookers (including his parents) and has even reached down to retrieve them from under the stroller, so he can lob them again. Remember those cute orange Sperry's? Now they are weapons.

Let me take you back a couple of hours, or days perhaps.

We scored tickets to the White House Spring Garden Tour. Got excited. Made plans for it to be a date, with another couple we know. Oooh, grown up, normal stuff!  Still have no nursing on Saturday's, so decided that this was the day to do a trial run with a friend who is willing to learn how to take care of Cole. With a lot of coordination, we are set. Saturday approaches and things are not going so great. Also, weather is not cooperating and it is supposed to be over 80 degrees. Add in our lovely friend humidity who has come back to haunt us, and Saturday's weather is not looking good at all for Cole to be outside. Long story short, knowing full well that Cole was going to have issues if he was outside, I could not feel good about sending him on his maiden voyage to another person's house, they had soccer games. We decided to still go to the tour, after much debate, since we had made a commitment to others and who knows if we will get tickets next year-that is way too far away.  Let's be brave!  Our semi-romantic date turned into a family affair.

We end up procuring two extra tickets, so the other couple brings their son also. Great! We give Cole a little Valium and we head off. As we arrive, right as we get out of the car, Slugger alerts-big time. He is putting his head under Cole's legs and nudging him so hard, they are flailing. He nuzzles my elbow, he nuzzles Brian's elbow, he nuzzles the stroller. He licks Cole. The picture was clear. Seizure on the horizon. So, what do we do? We are with other people...they drove. I give Cole more Valium knowing full well it will make "Angry Elf" come out. With the benzo's in his system, without a seizure yet to break through...he gets really behaviorally challenged.  Sometimes he gets hyper, other times just plain angry.  What are you going to do? Screaming child vs seizing child. There is not a lot of choice.  Heat, overstimulation, being strapped in the stroller, already having a bad week and a major alert from Slugger-he needs the meds or we are going to have major issues.

Slugger did awesome and is still waiting to hear back about a play date with Bo.  I took his picture on the grass, even though there were signs to keep off of it.  I'm a rebel.

Wherever we went, Cole continued to scream.  He threw the iPad, his cup, anything we gave him basically, on the ground.  While Brian and I attempted to take pictures, he was trying to rip the sunshade off of his stroller, or was bucking so hard he almost tipped it over.  At least the other family could find us...just follow the high-pitched wails! :)

It was an adventure!  I am glad we went though.  A year ago, I would have never attempted the crowds, or being outside.  I have a very thick skin, so the annoying on-lookers who were shooting daggers out of their eyes and had a conversation bubble floating above their head that said something to the effect of "Why can't she control her child?" or "How dare they bring that boy here!  It's the White House, not a playground!", they didn't really bother me.  The grounds were lovely and it was one of those, "Never thought I would be here" moments.  Without the screaming and hitting, of course.

With the extra meds, Cole did not have a big seizure.  He calmed down once we got away from the overstimulation and crowds and we went on our merry way back home.  We told our companions-"Hey, if you are going to hang with us, you've got to be able to take the heat!"  They did great-home run.

So while I got to see the presidential putting green and the first family's secluded swimming pool, I am reminded that our life will never be simple.  Just looking at pictures though...you would never guess.