-Fun Part 1: Burger King
We left the house at 11 in the morning and drove just over an hour to Burger King. This is a big deal; we have no American fast food restaurants in Jarabacoa. Quite honestly, I don't miss them. But it was a fun treat. We ordered Jer a kid's meal and made sure to ask for a crown. After he enjoyed the hamburger, fries, and water, he played in the play place (no play parks in Jarabacoa either). We had a blast watching him play.
Hamburger and Fries!
Yumm... elephant teether
Playing!
Loves the slide
-Fun Part 2: La Sirena, Ice Cream
Next, we drove to La Sirena (a large, super-walmart type store) for some ice cream (we had bikes being repaired in the bike shop across the street). After the ice cream he sat on each of the "ride" (pictured below). Unfortunately, they were not plugged in. He also played in a play place there. After this, we went out of the food court to choose some V-day gifts for the family and some a few small toys for the boys. Jeremiah chose a small toy motorcycle and a soccer book, and we bought a book for Timmy.
Of course, he wanted the blue ice cream
Driving with a (very scary looking) bird
Avion!
And his very own boat!
Another slide!
-Not So Fun Part 1: By this time Jeremiah was getting tired, but we needed to buy a blender (the motor in ours just went out). The blender we had looked into when we were at La Sirena previously (1 week ago for our doctor visits) was sold out. As we tried to decide what blender to buy, Jeremiah began screeching again and again. He didn't want to read either of the books, or hold his bear. There was nothing to put in time-out, and he was already confined to the shopping cart. Tension mounted as we tried to decide on a blender with a shrieking child. Ugh. I went off to get some socks for Jer as Daniel took him down the stairs to the first level. Once down, we tried to buy some produce we needed. But Jeremiah continued to shriek. So we hurried to check-out and leave. And it was about 3:30 by this time and we realized we were running late.
-Not So Fun Part 2:
We picked up the bikes and headed toward the hospital. Meanwhile, multiple driver's notified us that our left front tire was flat. We arrived at the hospital at about 4:00 (the doctor doesn't get in until 3). By this time both boys were asleep in the car (praise the Lord!). While Daniel changed the tire, I hurried up to the 8th floor and put in the boy's names (doctors here don't make appointments) only to discover that the doctor had not yet arrived and 7 people had their names on the list before us. We hung out in the car for a while as the boys slept. Daniel went inside to retrieve my results while I worked on a logic problem in a puzzle book. Eventually Jeremiah woke up and Daniel returned. We decided to head on up to floor 8 to check the status. I waited with the boys in the large outside waiting area, while Daniel went into the office to ask. The secretary informed him that there were now 4 people in front of us. Okay, that sounded better. And yet we waited, and waited. And Jeremiah continued to shriek and go to time-out. Finally we found space in the doctor's office to wait (there are only 6 chairs inside the office) after we were told there were 2 people left in front of us. At one point I became suspicious that they were letting the mother's with tiny babies jump ahead in line. Time passed, a few people went in and out, and we again asked how many people were in front of us, and were again told two people. Eventually the hall was empty and Jeremiah (and other boys) could run up and down the hall. This cut down on the shrieking. After those next 2 people went, it was finally our turn at 7:00. After the appointment we bought some sandwiches the food bar and headed out at 8:00. Ugh. I was so ready to go home. And then we had a 1 hour+ trip back home.
It boggles my mind that doctors don't take appointments here. And so these little children wait 3 hours to see the doctor. Insanity! This reminds me why we normally go to the doctor here in Jarabacoa (though, I admit, the one in Santiago is much more on top of things). But, for a 3 hour wait? I'll save her for emergencies! (And if Jer didn't have such a bad rash that has been coming and going for over a year I wouldn't have waited).
And really, I have to admit that, considering he had to wait for 3 hours, Jeremiah did a good job for a 2 year old!
So, that was our day. And now I am very happy to be back in our little house in Jarabacoa. Any tips on what to do with a shrieking child?!
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