Growing up is Hard

And I am not talking about the girls.

Whoever came up with the idea of "Grownup" was full of shit, because everytime my girls are ready for another phase, I have to deal with my issues related to it too..

For instance, getting around town.

Lillith made it easier (ironically) by just getting on the bus with Drina and going places and never telling me. As much as I loathed it afterwards, I escaped the dread that accompanies your kid trying something new for the first time. It was taken out of my hands. Now that I am kind of used to it, I have to start all over again with Imelda.

On Saturday she wanted to take the train downtown to go to Water Tower Place. She had a Gap card burning a hole in her pocket and she wanted some new jeans. Well, for once in her life, she is running ahead of the other girls in her class. Cate is afraid to pick up germs on public transportation, Elsa's mother nixed it... and another was just down right afraid.

Enter Lillith and Drina. They will go downtown with her... Don't worry about it, Mom. The problem? Well the our local El stop is being worked on over the weekend... So Fun Daddy drove them downtown and forgot to get them to commit to a method for getting home. My directions related to getting to State Street via the train...

I didn't realize this issue until the phone calls started coming in... Naturally, when Lillith is talking to Fun Daddy she is nasty to him... so he hung up on her. "She can find her OWN way home" he humpfed. WHAT? She has my baby with her too! Augh! I call them back and realize the problem... get online at the CTA and find the easiest route for them. Up the inner part of Lake Shore Drive to Irving Park and then West until home. Problem solved. I could now relax.

Yes, they were going to be home later than I wanted it would be almost dark... but I could deal with that...

Except... Then I got a call at 6:00. "What exit are we supposed to get off at?" was the question I got. Uh oh. "Irving Park, near your old school... Where exactly are you?" I asked, but already Lillith was saying to Drina, "Pull the cord! pull the cord!" Double Uh Oh.

"Lillith! Where are you?" Let's just say that they were several stops from where I wanted them... to far north. In Uptown. Now, Uptown can be a great place. But not for three young teenaged girls after dark. After screaming about Lillith's detached head, I got her to look around. She found a bus... It wasn't the exact one I wanted them on, but it would do. And it would make them safer then just walking around a neighborhood with more than its share of addled homeless, junkies and sex offenders....

When they got home about an hour later, I breathed a sigh of relief. Lillith and Drina apologized for loosing track of where they were going. And Imelda thanked me for letting her go. She had a great time.

I know that they are growing up and have to explore their world... I just wish they could do it all in the bright light of day.

I don't wanna grow up more...