It has taken me a couple days to really process what happened the other day at the store. I didn't want to go, but we needed food, and I had missed my oppurtunity to go in the morning before my husband went to work. So I tried to think of people who would watch my kids for me, but I felt to guilty to drop them on anyone with out warning.
We finally arrived at the store at 2:30. We had accomplished nothing all day, and my only hope was to get out of the house and finish this task so we could try to get some stuff done afterward. Anyway, we are now at the store and I explain to my 5yr old that when I take them to the store it takes twice as long as when I go by myself. I ask him to please control himself so we can get out of here fast. Thus our adventure begins.
I grab a cart in the parking lot so I an efficiently get into the store. However, every cart has broken straps. Well I figure speed is the key let's just risk it. I plop the tot (#3) and the three year old (#2) in the cart and we walk quickly into the store, and then I notice my pregnant bladder is full and I got to go bad. I'm not going to because bathroom at the store with the three kids is just too chaotic and takes way to long, so I ignor and move on.
Enter the cereal isle, with fruit snacks. My #2 screams because she wants a different flavor of fruit snack than the one everyone else wants, and she doesn't want the flavor of cereal I suggested. We move on and my oldest (#1) realizes that he has forgotten his cheap plastic toy story ring in the cereal isle. He goes and thankfully finds it and now we are in the canned tomato isle. My #2 insists on sitting on the edge of the cart with her feet dangling. I'm against it, but we need to keep moving, I don't think it is worthwhile fight. While I'm trying to decide on the best pasta my #1 very loudly exclaims, "She peed on the floor! She peed! I think she did, Mama. I'll check," smells the puddle on the floor. "Yes, it's pee!"
Some how, after many stops and starts involving that cheap plastic ring, we are in dairy, when the tot has had enough, and she stands in her seat and screams for down. I mean SCREAMS. She left her shoes in the car so I can't put her down except I do because while she is screaming the middle child slips off the cart and falls on the floor. A lady witnesses this and is saying, "Oh my God. Oh my God." I run to see middle child, who is fine, with a tiny scrape on her elbow, but is crying out of fear and a little pain, and thus the tot gets away and peels down the isle. How I wish I had a cart with buckles.
Ok now we are all together, reasonably calm with two walking children. I attempt to get in the check out when #2 lags behind to look at something and while this is happening a lady slides in and takes my spot. What the heck? really? I should have stayed right there and let my #3 scream and annoy her for cutting in front of me, but instead I wanted to leave. I thankfully found another line that was moving and everything is going great until I check out, and I need garbage stickers and the cashier missed things my #3 was sitting on, so I go to the service desk.
The line is long, so I decide to self check out the couple of items I missed and get cash for the stickers. While checking out, #2 decides she is bored and leaves. She disappears. The first time I have ever freaked out for a missing child, because I have no idea where she is or why she is gone. As I'm coordinating with a cashier as to how to find her, I spot her in between the doors. I get everyone together, and we still have to wait in line at the service desk. When I get home I find out I was charged $17 a pound for $1 a pound tea. Yay, I get to go back... alone.
We finally arrived at the store at 2:30. We had accomplished nothing all day, and my only hope was to get out of the house and finish this task so we could try to get some stuff done afterward. Anyway, we are now at the store and I explain to my 5yr old that when I take them to the store it takes twice as long as when I go by myself. I ask him to please control himself so we can get out of here fast. Thus our adventure begins.
I grab a cart in the parking lot so I an efficiently get into the store. However, every cart has broken straps. Well I figure speed is the key let's just risk it. I plop the tot (#3) and the three year old (#2) in the cart and we walk quickly into the store, and then I notice my pregnant bladder is full and I got to go bad. I'm not going to because bathroom at the store with the three kids is just too chaotic and takes way to long, so I ignor and move on.
Enter the cereal isle, with fruit snacks. My #2 screams because she wants a different flavor of fruit snack than the one everyone else wants, and she doesn't want the flavor of cereal I suggested. We move on and my oldest (#1) realizes that he has forgotten his cheap plastic toy story ring in the cereal isle. He goes and thankfully finds it and now we are in the canned tomato isle. My #2 insists on sitting on the edge of the cart with her feet dangling. I'm against it, but we need to keep moving, I don't think it is worthwhile fight. While I'm trying to decide on the best pasta my #1 very loudly exclaims, "She peed on the floor! She peed! I think she did, Mama. I'll check," smells the puddle on the floor. "Yes, it's pee!"
Some how, after many stops and starts involving that cheap plastic ring, we are in dairy, when the tot has had enough, and she stands in her seat and screams for down. I mean SCREAMS. She left her shoes in the car so I can't put her down except I do because while she is screaming the middle child slips off the cart and falls on the floor. A lady witnesses this and is saying, "Oh my God. Oh my God." I run to see middle child, who is fine, with a tiny scrape on her elbow, but is crying out of fear and a little pain, and thus the tot gets away and peels down the isle. How I wish I had a cart with buckles.
Ok now we are all together, reasonably calm with two walking children. I attempt to get in the check out when #2 lags behind to look at something and while this is happening a lady slides in and takes my spot. What the heck? really? I should have stayed right there and let my #3 scream and annoy her for cutting in front of me, but instead I wanted to leave. I thankfully found another line that was moving and everything is going great until I check out, and I need garbage stickers and the cashier missed things my #3 was sitting on, so I go to the service desk.
The line is long, so I decide to self check out the couple of items I missed and get cash for the stickers. While checking out, #2 decides she is bored and leaves. She disappears. The first time I have ever freaked out for a missing child, because I have no idea where she is or why she is gone. As I'm coordinating with a cashier as to how to find her, I spot her in between the doors. I get everyone together, and we still have to wait in line at the service desk. When I get home I find out I was charged $17 a pound for $1 a pound tea. Yay, I get to go back... alone.
