Post Office

So, there we were downtown doing errands. We'd all eaten. We took our time getting out. All was good.

Went to the bank, paid taxes, went to the post office. I had a bag of misc little things to mail to two different people, two letters to drop off and needed to get two stamped envelopes. Simple, right? Bwaaa ha ha ha! I totally over-estimated what I could do with my baby in arms, my 4 yr old and my 8 yr old!

The lady at the desk was very helpful and kind. She boxed up one box and helped me find the cheapest mailer for the other things. She gave me two stamped envelopes and took the letters I wanted to drop off. But...all this took lots of time. There was lots going on. She looked up a zip code for me, she had a couple of questions to ask to figure out the proper postage, she had to ask for payment and then she forgot I already gave her my card and she just needed me to enter my pin number. That all seems like common stuff, right?

Well, as that is all happenning, so is this: Li is asking me questions about what we are using to mail stuff. I am answering the postal lady's questions and trying to write quickly to get it all done as baby is beginning to fuss in my arms. As I am trying to write, sometimes the baby pulls at my hair. My handwriting is less than stellar (like that matters at this point!). Kana is running about even though I asked her to stay by me. Didn't I ask her to stay by me? Maybe I didn't.don't recall for sure, but think I did. Well, I would hurry up and be done and get out of there! The nice lady gives us stickers (stuck in my pocket caus I needed my hands and felt overwhelmed and wanted to get done asap - will give them to the kids later). I fumble with my bag trying to organize everything (find my stamped letters to mail, make sure I have everything out of it I needed to mail, throw out the garbage). I have one mailer to stuff and address and still 2 envelopes to address. Kana hands me a finished sticky lollipop stick. I take it, then give it back and ask her to throw it in the trash behind her as I didn't want to leave my place in at the postal desk and I still have to address letters and a mailer. She doesn't do that. She places it up on the postal counter. I then move it aside and continue addressing, answering questions, answering Li's questions, etc. I then rid my bag of everything but garbage and then chuck Kana's lollipop stick in there. Li gives me his lollipop stick and I chuck it in the bag too. I ask Li to take the garbage bag and throw it out. He refuses, so I do it. Kana tells me she has to pee right now! I think about how I am almost done and think that maybe I could finish up quickly. I tell her I am hurrying and that I will get her to a bathroom as fast as I can as soon as we're done (as I truly thought we were almost done and I didn't want to come back and go through this again!). I asked Li to help stuff the mailer. He still is trying to ask me more questions. This is not a good time, wait until we're done! Can you help stuff this? Ahhh, he notices my letter going in with his videotapes. Oh, oh, he only wanted HIS stuff to be in the package. But Kana has to pee and the baby is getting upset! I say I am hurrying and I'll get her to the bathroom as fast as I can as soon as I am done. Li explains again that he only wanted HIS stuff in the package we are sending to Jene and that I should not have included my stuff in there too. The postal lady (trying to help) says that it will cost more if we send things separately and that if we open the package, it may rip. Li was even willing to pay. But due to Makana and baby, Li unhappily agrees to let it go. Oh and at one point when Li had been asking questions, I said that if he continued to talk to me I would scream...and I said this right in front of the whole post office! Ugh! Oh yeah, and then there was another point where Li said that Kana did something to him (can't recall, but he was mad and it seemed like they were beginning to fight) and so I told him to stay by me while I finish up. He moved away a bit. He then got my attention by telling me that this was really important (when the postal lady was trying to talk to me) and so I listened to him and he said that Makana hit him and kicked him when he went right there (he pointed). I said I was sorry she did that and to stay by me. He did stay by me. Perhaps that is when I had asked him to help with the mailer. Anyway, feeling like I should leave my postal office stuff and go and talk to Kana and tell her she can'ty do that to Li, etc, etc. But I didn't. I just wanted to be done and fast! And I thought that if Li stayed by me, she couldn't hurt him any more AND then I could finish and talk to her when we leave.

At some point toward the end I heard someone say that there were too many kids in here! What? Was that a joke or was it because my Kana was running about? I know I should have made her stay by me. Guess I didn't think it was such a big deal to let her roam in there. I truly thought she'd stay in the postal office, she just walks around it.

Also, there was one point when the other postal wkr said to Kana, "Stay where your Mommy can see you" in a kind and helpful way. I looked over toward where Kana was and said something (but don't recall what). People in line commented that they could see her. I knew she'd stay in the building and she did. But it is kind of humiliating when you feel so out of control and other people are making comments. And I felt inadequate as a parent not keeping her in line and quiet.

Kana said that she was just playing a game with Li when she kicked and hit him. Not a safe game to play!!! Not okay!!! I am feeling so frustrated with her!

Why don't my kids stand in line and stay next to me and be quiet?!!!! That IS what is expected from all patrons in the post office. I think I am going to have to do ALOT of explaining about what is expected in public places from now on. So perhaps this is not a failure, but a learning experience. Also, I could simply ask Jim to go. I do want my kids to learn how to act in public. However, perhaps we will give it some time before we revisit the post office. And I will remember to bring a stroller or leave the kids in the car with Katie (if possible) so I have two hands to write. Then the whole transaction will be quicker and easier on everyone. Even if I just had Makana it would have been easier! Oh well, there you go!


Oh man! So we go back to the bank to use the bathroom. We have to wait as someone is in the bathroom. Li drinks some water from the water dispenser. I tell Kana to wait before having some as she has to pee so bad I don't know if that will make things worse! She pees and has water. Li goes into the bathroom. He asks me to stand guard as he thinks it doesn't lock. A bank employee goes by and says it does lock if you shut it hard enough. He helps Li shut it and then Li locks the door. Li says, "Now try to get in!" The guy tries the door and can't get in. The guy and I laugh at the situation. After Li is done and we briefly chat with our friend Angie, we go to the park and play a bit. It is cold and Kana will only wear a skort and tshirt! I brought long pants and a long sleeved shirt and a jacket. She doesn't want them. So we only stay a little while and we are all cold and we go home.

Oh, when we first got to the park, I had to nurse Kanoa. I told Kana she could go on anything except the one thing she had trouble getting off of last time. I called Jim to vent. As I was talking to him, I said ...and I see Makana sitting on the top of the one thing I told her not to go on until I got there. She tried to come off it and Li ended up helping her down the last bit. Thanks Li!!! Later she told me how proud she was that she was able to get down off of that thing.