"Me" Time at the YMCA

We have a family membership at the YMCA so that we can work out and put the kids in swimming, soccer, and other sports. I decided I should spend some “me” time at the gym. After all, they’ll watch the 3 kids for 1 1/2 hours per day at no extra charge so I can go and work out.

Yesterday, I dropped Brian off at preschool and headed straight for the gym. I nursed Sam before we left home so he would be fine the hour and a half I was planning on spending there. We arrived at 9:30 a.m. and the parking lots were all packed. I barely fit into one of the spaces that nobody else wanted to try to fit into.

However, I couldn’t get the infant car seat out of the car because the cars on both sides were so close to my car. So I took Sam out of his car seat and decided to carry him. Sam goes to the nursery and Dallen goes to the family room and they each need their own diaper bag. So, I’m in the parking lot, holding Sam, holding my backpack and 2 diaper bags, and trying to keep Dallen out of the street. I go to close the trunk of my car and right as it’s shutting, Dallen put his hand down. Oh no!!!

I looked down and saw he was just standing there with his finger stuck in the trunk door and when I went to open it, he started crying – well screaming actually. Meanwhile, a person thinks I’m leaving and is waiting with her signal on (even though she watched me take the kids out of the car and saw me trying to help my hurt son – plus I signaled to her that I wasn’t leaving). At this point, I’m not sure what to do with Sam and I’m checking to make sure none of Dallen’s fingers were broken.

His fingers weren’t broken but it did cut his finger – nothing that required stitches or going to the doctor. But it was sore for a while.

We head over to the nursery and drop Sam off. Dallen is still crying and refuses to wear a band aid. The other babies in the nursery start crying and Sam is content to be in the swing.

Dallen and I head over to the Family Room. He won’t let me leave and I spend 30 minutes with him because he doesn’t want me to go. After half an hour, the ladies tell me he’ll be fine and that I should go and relax or work out.

I head straight for the locker room and decide I would rather relax than work out today. I put my tankini on and head for the steam room.

Wow! It was so hot that I had to focus on breathing (keep in mind my throat is still nasty after the laryngitis stuff)! I lasted about 5 minutes in there and went and showered off in the locker room. Then I got into the hot tub. That lasted about 10 minutes and the heat was starting to get to me. I headed for the locker room and was in the bathroom stall changing into my everyday clothes (I just can’t get naked and change in front of complete strangers and I don’t understand how other people can). Then I hear over the loudspeaker that they are paging “Shannon – the mother of Dallen – please come pick up your child.” I dressed as quickly as I could and grabbed my stuff.

When I arrived to the Family Room, Dallen was content and playing with legos. He had just calmed down about a minute before I arrived. We went and picked up Sam, ran an errand, and picked up Brian from preschool.

It may have only been 20 minutes of “me” time, but I enjoyed every moment. Maybe next time will be longer 🙂