IHOP Meltdown

Although still restricted to soft foods, Scott is slowly starting to expand his post-surgical diet. He is beginning to slowly reintroduce foods that can be easily eaten with minimal jaw movement. In essence, he and Timmy are now on a similar diet. (Personally, I don't know how he could tire of his milkshake and ice cream diet that has been his main source of sustenance during the past week.)  Yesterday, in an effort to spice up his diet, he spontaneously invited us to join him for pancakes at IHOP for dinner.

I knew that going to IHOP was a bad idea, not because I worried about Scott's ability to chew but because Hamlet was exhausted. He didn't take much of a nap (no surprise) and it was nearing his bedtime. Even though the restaurant was nearly empty, I was on edge fearing an appearance by Timmy the Terrible. 

Timmy the Terrible made his entrance in grand style, shrieking at the top of his lungs as we were trying to put him into the high chair. The poor waiter didn't even pass out the menus and my little guy was screaming and trying to throw everything in his reach. He found playing with ice fleetingly amusing, but quickly tired of the game and returned to voicing his displeasure with blood curdling screams. 

Within minutes of entering the restaurant I was leaving, wrestling to keep an irate toddler in my grasp. I strapped him into his car seat, turned up the radio and let him wail. When Scott emerged with his arms overflowing with to-go boxes, we agreed that we made a mistake.  We will try to take him out to eat again- in about three or four years.