adaptation

cybele is so mercurial. last night at dinner, with 8 people there, she is a monstrous thing. today, i impulsively take all three kids, by myself with no backup, to "ted's montana grill", yes that's correct, "right said ted" has their own restaurant now (it's surpisingly masculine and clubby...no, not that kinda club); and all 3 kids were great, we had fun, no outrageous demands to treat the place like a jungle gym or a coloring book. it's like cybele flips a switch to one parent mode. i've noted all of our kids have done this, and it defies my understanding, or at least expectations. maybe children just get really pacified by severed bison heads on the walls and gingham napkins (based on the "right said ted" videos i've seen, i was expecting a mirror ball and probably leather napkins); or maybe it was just exceptionally good mac and cheese.