It even started out with a bang! Taylor woke up this morning at one-ish, screaming (probably hungry) and that unfortunately and unusually woke up Tanner...the next three hours were terrible!!! By morning, Ryan and I were shot. Literally! We were barely functioning, but I got some much needed work done on the computer at six, so I was thinking it would turn out to be an okay day.
We took a quick and rather event-less trip to Shoe carnival to exchange some shoes (it's been way too long since I've bought shoes - for me - so I bought some running/jogging shoes and some fun dress-up or dress-down shoes.). I was amazed how well those little stockings you use to try shoes on with if you came without socks entertain two-year olds!!! Tanner had them on his hands, his feet, and then he took them off and put the handful of waterballoons (not blown up) in them and carried those around! It was really nice not to have to threaten to leave the store...he was rather well behaved! So I decided we could go to the grocery store...no biggie, right?
This is where it got really fun for anyone watching a tired mother haul two kids into a grocery store, finally settle on the ridiculous carts that have car fronts, and try to maneuver them through small isles. Who invented those anyways? Kids can climb out of them, and the seatbelts don't hold them in tight enough! PHEW! We were doing alright until checkout...I was third in line, and a new cashier motioned and commented that I could start a line and her register. So off I go, doing a five point turn to get out of one lane and into another, by this time, Tanner is climbing everywhere, running his hands up and down the rack with french bread.
But it's OKAY! I can do this!!! I load my groceries on the little counter thingie, and have them separated into two tabs, since some of the stuff was for piano, and I'm trying to keep the tabs separate. The lady that had me come over had left to talk to another lady (who probably really did need help or something) and left me standing there for more than five minutes!!! By this time, there's a line behind ME, and Tanner AND Taylor are crying, becasue Taylor doesn't feel good and I'm finally catching on that it's lunch time and Tanner has had it. But I just keep thinking, it's okay, I think I can do this.
Finally a gentleman comes over and askes if I had been helped, and I said I hadn't. He proceeded to ring me up, and about halfway through Tanner has chucked my keys, a pen, and his shoes. So, I tried a little trick I learned from "Parenting with Love and Logic" - I sang, infront of everyone at Albertsons, the "Uh-OH"Song. It goes like this: "Uh-Oh - time to ______(go to your room, etc.) sit on the floor by mommy's legs until you can quit having a tantrum." So I put him on the floor, it gets worst, and the dam behind my eyelids is about to burst open.
I don't think I've ever been so close to tears with my two boys in a public place! All while this is going on, the sweet lady behind me is smiling, telling me that she's been there (which I really appreciated) and that he's probably hungry, and it looks like it had been a long morning for us...duh - how about a long night, too!!! And to top it off, because I can't handle my own children, another mother in the line over, with her one year old, comes to see if she can soothe Taylor...who of course in unconsolable by now.
Keep Reading, though, becasue it really does get better. There is a happy ending!
I finally resorted to appologizing to the cashier, told him to end the bill, and appologized that the rest of it would have to be put back, because I was leaving the store. My dignity had left long before, and I wasn't about to stand there any longer.
By the time I got home, I told Tanner he'd be in time out for ten minutes, we briefly talked about how he disobeyed mommy, and I invited him to eat a peanut butter sandwich with me. To make it easier on him, I turned on a movie to 'eat to'. I went to my my sandwich and came back to a peacefull sleeping boy, doing the hu-hu-hu huuuh breathing after a hard cry...I'm sure you know the one.
I put him to bed, of which he stayed in for three hours! I got a nap, Taylor got a nap, we ended the day with some play time at the park with friends and dinner.
The best part of my day: The bridesmaid dresses that Tricia wanted - well they finally found my size!!!!! YEAH! I could have squeezed into the same size as my sister for one night, but would never wear the dress again...now I think I can wear it! And have my kids with me when doing so! (The too small one was a bit low, and too short...) Here's a picture...can't wait to try it on! This is the color, too...
