Is It Just Me....

Or do people really suck sometimes?

Today, was not one of my better days as a mother.  

Today is Sophie's birthday so I wanted to do something a little special with the girls to celebrate Sophie turning 4.  I took them to the library.  No, that was not the "special" part as we go there lots and well, we never stay long as Stella gets into everything and I can't really pay much attention to the other two McG girls so we usually just quickly go in look for a few books/dvds, clean up the monster mess Stella created in the kids area (ok, really only I do the cleaning, the girls usually just watch...) and then high tail it out of there.

I did not bring the stroller this time so check out was extra busy as I attempted to keep Stella from running out the door all while checking out the girl's books/dvds.  Stella was seriously pissed that I kept picking her up and not letting her walk so she was yelling pretty loudly as we were leaving the library.  I was sweating and walking fast while yelling at the older McG girls "KEEP UP, KEEP UP!"

Did I mention I was sweating?

The "special" event I had planned in my head for Sophie's birthday was to take the girls to Edo Japan for lunch.  Olivia loves the sushi and Sophie loves the shrimp.  Olivia was all keen to go.  Sophie...not so much.  "I don't want shrimp, I just want veggies and dip for lunch".  

Despite Sophie's objection for shrimp I did convince her to at least let me get the food "to go" so that  Olivia could have her sushi and then I would make her her veggies and dip when we got home. She agreed after I bribed her with an orange that she could eat while we waited for our food.

So in I go....three little girls in tow.

We go in the restaurant and I order our lunch.  The big McG girls sit on the bench to wait for the food and I put lil miss Stella beside them.  She sits and waits,  she climbs all over the bench while I pay and then I sit beside her to make sure she does not fall.  Then things go a tad crazy from there. Sophie is asking for help with opening her water bottle, Olivia is showing me what a big girls she is by getting our chopstick and forks, and Stella is moving everywhere on the bench as I try and give her bits and pieces of cheese for her to eat to keep her still.  

And then the big oopsie.

Stella kept trying to get into my purse, so I move her over to the other side of the bench and the other side of me where she can't get in my purse.

Yeah, that was the END of the bench.

I didn't clue in until it was too late.

I look over and there she is falling in what looks like slow motion, on to the floor.  She falls on her head.

I scream or yell or something and quickly pick her up.  She is screaming her head off which is a good thing, I think.  I hold her and comfort her, while poor Livi and Sophie are asking "Is she ok, is Stella ok?"

I don't answer them. I can't. I am trying to hold it together so I don't loose it in the restaurant and further upset them.

A few minutes go by. Stella calms down.  I check her pupils, they dilate evenly.  I stand her up, she sees a little boy and immediately walks over to him saying "Huuuhhh" and trying to caress his face.  She is still sad and fussy but seems to be ok.

I gather up our food, gather up Stella, and once again talk curtly to my kids "let's go, let's go!".  I practically run out of there.

I was upset.

I was mad at myself for not thinking and putting Stella on the END of the bench.

I was embarrassed and perplexed.

The restaurant was busy, and yet nobody came over to see if Stella was ok, or to ask if I needed help.

Not.....one.....person.

Oh, they all stared, but not one single person bothered to come over and make sure a stranger who clearly was distressed and worried and overwhelmed, was ok.

Not one person seemed concerned that a child fell on her head.

Sure Stella was ok, she wasn't unconscious, she didn't have any blood oozing from any part of her body, but a kind gesture, a "Is she ok? Can I help?" would have gone a long way.

I don't know, am I asking too much of complete strangers?

I know that if I had seen a child fall, I would have at least gone over to make sure the child was ok.

Maybe nobody saw, maybe they were all too busy and didn't see.

Or maybe sometimes people just suck.