Going Out to Dinner

We've done it before, but the older the kids get the more complex going out to dinner gets. The following is a chronological break-down of events:

5:50 pm - family picks me up at the train station
6:00 pm - arrive at the restaurant
6:01 pm - assigned to a table, not a booth, we both worry that we won't be able to contain the kids
6:02 pm - host struggles to sets highchair upside down for infant seat but can't figure out how to secure it
6:05 pm - we request a booth
6:06 pm - infant seat doesn't fit, must set it perpendicular to bench between the bench and the table
6:08 pm - baby girl gets restless, starts wrestling with toddler boy in the bench (won't seat together in future)
6:10 pm - infant girl starts to fuss for dinner, begin feeding cold peas sideways to infant, she won't touch it
6:11 pm - baby girl begins to scream for no apparent reason
6:12 pm - I take baby girl into hallway to talk, we decide on sitting her in a high chair
6:15 pm - baby girl calm in high chair
6:20 pm - we order, thankfully our toddler can actually tell us what he wants
6:25 pm - genius restaurant brings kids' food right away
6:30 pm - blessed adult food!
6:31 pm - toddler eating happily, baby bored and wants out, infant tired and hungry, both cry again
6:35 pm - baby wrestles toddler again, knocks his head into wall, he cries (forgot to keep them separate)
6:36 pm - infant gets baby's leftovers, crumbles them all over me bench and floor (table remains unblemished)
6:40 pm - adult food gone, not sure where it went, but we think we ate it
6:45 pm - both adults standing and rocking the girls, while toddler finishes food
6:50 pm - ice cream! toddler eats it up, baby girl loves feeding it to me and my wife and saying, "Dat nummy Mommy? Dat nummy Daddy?", I'm bouncing fussy infant on lap
6:55 pm - pack up, pay, and leave
7:00 pm - kids climb steps and have some fun outside restaurant
7:05 pm - race to the car, toddler runs into the sliding door and hurts his arm
7:06 pm - my wife calms the toddler, while I try to catch and buckle in baby girl trying to get into driver seat
7:10 pm - bed time routine

Although things seem to have happened in rapid succession, it did not feel that quick to us. We had several moments where we were relaxed, laughing, and enjoying each other. Perhaps having children speeds us up, so that while we perceive time moving naturally, outsiders looking in see us moving like hummingbirds.

I'm also looking at these 5-6 minute increments, wondering what parents would make if they billed like attorneys. No down time, very productive, very long hours. I think we'd make millions.