For Father's Day, I loaded up the children and drug them all to Macy's. This was a big outing for us, because we NEVER go to department stores. When we got to the store, I realized that I had forgotten the stroller. I had gone to the drama of loading them all up, driving a good 30 minutes into town, and Father's Day was approaching...quickly. I had to suck it up and take them in. I have blocked much of this expedition out of my head. It was so horrid. The flashbacks that are shocking though my thoughts include: Carmen going up the escalator while Miles freaks out and refuses to go up...while I am holding Isaac. A lady at a cosmetic counter nicely volunteered to hold Miles, since Carmen was screaming in terror/waiting on the 2nd floor. And then there's the memory of Miles running wildly through the store like he's never been in public before and rapidly tossing the men's dress shirts in the floor. Dozens of men's dress shirts were in the air and covering the floor like a colorful snowstorm had hit Macy's. And every time I put Isaac down in an attempt to catch Miles, he started screaming like his toenails were being ripped off. Oh... And then there was the old lady who was terrified that Miles was going to jump down the escalator (yeah right) and she started trying to catch him (to his enjoyment). That's enough. You get what I'm working with here.
You understand that my children CAN NOT be on foot in the grocery store or when we are down to the last diaper in the diaper bag and MUST go to Target. You understand that I NEED on of those big, humongous carts that seats 3 kids. It's not like I enjoy ramming that thing through the isles of the store. I don't like banging into fellow shoppers as I turn the cart around because I forgot the baby shampoo a few isles back. I NEED that cart to maintain my sanity. Yet...countless times, I go into the store and all of these carts are taken. The first time this happened to me, I looked around as I walked through the store with my crew going absolutely nuts. EVERY person who had a large cart only had one child with them. I guess kids think it's cool to ride in those things? One woman who was leisurely strolling through the diapers with her one son in the super cart actually tried to start a conversation with me about the effectiveness of night-time diapers/potty training/pullups. While her son was stretched out in relaxation mode, my children were rolling on the floor and climbing up the shelves, Spider-man style. I felt like screaming at her. I felt like hitting the Starbucks drink out her son's hand. But...instead, I mumbled out a few answers and collected my children in an effort to run for the door.
I have noticed the trend of parents with ONE child snatching up all the huge carts in the following times I have gone to Target or the grocery store. Please consider these questions: Do you have one child? Or if you have two children, is one of your children over the age of...say...11? Maybe you should back away from the humongous two/three seater carts and make your way to something a little smaller. This will make your shopping experience a litter more peaceful, considering the pitiful mom of three next to you can wrangle her children in and run through the store with minimal destruction/screaming/drama. Thanks.
