Oblivious Thy Name is Parent

We took the girls out for yet another birthday meal last night - one thing I've learned with my wife is that birthday's last a month, not a day, so there are infinite amounts of birthday dinners, lunches and celebrations. This time we went out with Gina's mom and sisters for dinner. Couple of things to account for, it was late in the night for the girls and although we gave them a late afternoon nap we were still getting to dinner about 2 hours after they normally eat, also UCLA was playing a rare Thursday night game against the #1 team in the country and finally the National League Championship baseball game was also on so any place with a TV was packed. This restaurant had about 20 TVs. ... in fact, I'm pretty sure they had more TVs then employees working. So we got there and found Gina's mom in the crowd, immediately placed an order for a hot dog, fries and avocado so we could try to get the girls fed. We then spent the next 45 minutes trying to keep Genevieve from pushing her high chair in to the aisle with her feet, Arianna from spitting milk and keeping shoes and socks on feet all while getting food down their throats and trying to ignore UCLA getting obliterated on the TV directly to my right. Gina's sisters were trying to feed the girls root beer floats, wine was being knocked over in slow motion and there were 6 conversations going on among 5 people. ... it was kind of like being in the pit of the NYSE. Anyway, after a while this guy finally comes over and tells me we need to keep it down cause we're ruining his dinner. My face went white and I turn in slow motion ready to throw down because I've had it up to here (I'm holding my hand just below my eyes so you have a reference point) and I see somebody I know. Three agonizingly slow seconds pass before I realize it's Don - a friend of a friend who's house I've been to numerous times for parties (in fact see the "nipple luge" post back in February). What's more he's been sitting at the table with his wife and kids three feet to my immediate right this whole time. ... directly under the TV I've been staring at for 45 minutes. Turns out I'm the a-hole. I'm sure they're sitting there thinking "hey it's Kyle and Gina, any minute now they are going to look at us and say 'hi'. ... any minute now. ... annnnnyyy minute now. ... a-holes!" Until they finally come over to point out how oblivious (or rude) we are. That's the thing about being a parent, at least at this age, 112% of your focus is on the kids, especially when you're out in public and there's food involved. Then you have -12% on the game (had to get back to 100% somehow) so that leaves nothing left for the world around you outside of your little bubble, which only extends about a foot and a half from the center point. So I'm sorry Don and Jenni, it was not personal that we had no idea you were right there next to us. ... we're just parents, and we're still figuring this thing out. You've had several years more practice than us. And thanks for pointing that out! ;) Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to my bubble.