Yes, it was me that you (perhaps) saw, but (more likely) HEARD in Target this morning. To be more precise, it was not ME you heard, but my three screaming children.
Uh-huh. I was that mom with the three kids and the swollen belly ("Come on now, young lady, do you really think you can handle another one?! Get that girl some prophylactics!") in the 14 foot long cart made so that two bigger kids can sit and have foot and leg wars right where my sensitive shins hang out while I walk the aisles. Yes, that same cart that has no place for a one-and-a-half-year-old child except the part of the cart that houses all the precious items to purchase. (Why did I let the kids talk me into getting that dreaded cart this time?)
Yes, it was me you saw chasing after a tiny basketball that the baby kept throwing out of the cart. The fact that it still had its square-ish packaging did not squelch its bouncibility as much as you would think.
And as you walked the diaper or shampoo aisle, you could not avoid the ear-piercing screams that said baby was belting out - all because I just could not chase after that ball one more time. I put it, instead, under the cart on that bottom part meant for over sized or overweight items. So this poor, deprived child could SEE the beloved ball, but could not touch it. And OH MY how that angered him. MY, OH MY!
It is quite possible that, because of the screaming, you did not hear the bickering in which my older two children were engaged. Oh, you missed a good set of arguments, let me assure you. "I want the red seat belt!" "No, you have to have the BLACK one. I have the red one. Get your legs out of MY AREA!" "Mommy! why can't IIIIIII-EEEEEE get soccer shoes?!" "Get your legs off of me! Quit it!!"
So, sorry about that. I did not mean to make such a scene. I actually intended to have fun getting the soccer player of the group new cleats, and a ball for each of the still-too-young ones. My mistake.
Incidentally, the baby lost all interest in the ball once he got home, and middle child - the other ball recipient - had a major melt down later that evening on the way to big brother's practice because - you guessed it - he could not find his new ball that he so desperately wanted to play with during practice.
And on my kitchen counter is the verse I have been thinking on and memorizing: Romans 12:9-10 "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good. Be devoted to each other in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." There is a lesson in all this.....somewhere.
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5 comments:
Shopping with kids...Oh Jenne, that is SO, SO hilarious to read, although frustrating as heck I'm sure, when you're in the moment. Red and black seatbelts??? Why does it seem to be the most absurd thing that they end up arguing over??? Oh, you crack me up the way you write about it. Hang in there! And no, I won't judge you when I hear that screaming in the store, trust me, I understand completely!
Oh how I feel for you Jenne. My three argue all time, over the smallest of things. I remember being in Target one day when my then 2 yr. old daughter was having a melt down. She was screaming as loud as she could. I went about my buisness and then said sorry to a lady in line with me. She said,
"oh honey, don't be sorry. We have all been there as mothers of small children. If a mom has not experienced it yet, she will. Your doing the right thing" That lady made me feel so much better.
Oh I have SO been there recently. It happened to me in Fred Meyers. The meltdown of all meltdowns by my 2 year old. I was "that mom" and I know people were judging me. I will never judge again!!! I even saw a mom from my church that I don't know too well and she gave me the "judging look"...sigh...bad day. Yes my kids are out of control sometimes too.
You can tell a female who has had children and one who hasn't by the look on their faces when they walk by a screaming child in a store. The one who has not had children has a judgemental look about her that screams, "get control of your child." The one with children has the look that says, "thank goodness that is not mine... today."
I feel for you sister! :) And the thing is, you never know when the trip is going to turn this way. That's the frustrating thing. One moment we can have a relatively normal shopping trip (leading me to think "we should do this more often--I really don't need to avoid this--wow, maybe I'll make every Thursday "errand" day and I'll go get things done with the kids"). And then comes the next Thursday, and things are thrown out of the cart, and they're fighting over who gets to sit in the cart and who gets to walk, and then somebody drops a picture frame....uh huh....And then I think, "nope, no errand day on Thursdays. Errands are done after Daddy gets home." Until I try it again and it goes ok....So goes my life. :)
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