an angel in walmart

Story # 1. Taking Jonathan and Sonja to the doctor for a rash they have had. This trip also included Kathryn Grace who was looking for a day off, and heard we were taking a trip out and about.....the dr. office is in a building with those nice big blue buttons that open the doors. Irresistable to children. Worth fighting about, to them. Even worth waiting until the doors close so they can have a turn. Then out to the rainy cold parking lot to the big messy van....

Story # 2. Somehow when I told the kids about their upcoming dr. visit, I said maybe we can go to McDonalds afterward. I don't know why I said that, it just came out. So of course I had to take them there. Hotwheels cars and mini-Barbie dolls.....so, I sprung for 3 happy meals. But I didn't use my credit card, I made an extra stop at the bank. How virtuous I am. ha. Charlotte Claire pooped at the Playplace.....so I had to trust Kathryn, 10, with Camille while I changed her diaper. Then, I really had to pee. Maybe just seeing the toilet, but I had to go so badly. I left Charlotte Claire, still in her stocking feet, sitting on the change table while I went quick. I couldn't stand the thought of her stocking feet on the bathroom floor, and I couldn't send her out with Kathryn who already had Camille. So I took aa chance that she would sit there like a good girl, and she did. Whew. If you've ever taken a group of small children to Mcdonalds Playplace, you know how much fun it is to tell them it's time to leave now....and then to actually gather them, shoe and coat them, and herd them out to the van....put away the kids, buckle them in, again, and put the stroller away..... in the rain.

Story # 3. WalMart!!! Prescriptions to fill. 30 minutes? How could it take 30 minutes? Okay, we'll go look at the fish. And yes, we will look at the toys, but we are not buying any. Just so you know. We were halfway through the toys, and Camille decided to poop. So we headed back to the back of the store bathroom, and Kathryn stayed outside the bathroom door with Charlotte Claire, who was buckled into the cart.. These are the times it is difficult to be a mom. I mean, I don't like leaving her there.....but at least it isn't near an exit where someone could steal them and drag them out the door. I gave her the lecture about staying right there, ect...Would it be better to bring Miss Charlotte Claire into the bathroom, yuck? The cart had merchandise in it, so I couldn't very well drag that in.....then I went in and changed a pretty bad diaper. I will spare you the details, but it wasn't a simple one. Anyway, we decided to look for some leggings for the little girls who wear skirts everyday to school. Jon spotted some big-boy pajama sleepers, and started in on how he has no pajamas....how he just needs those. He seems to reach a point where he just loses it in each shopping trip. We went on to pick up our prescriptions, which we had to wait for......with Jon fussing about various things all the while. Jon was really rude about something at the checkout, and after I finished paying, we were putting on coats, again, and I was telling him quietly that he shouldn't talk to me in that tone. I was a bit frazzled by now. Then, out of nowhere, a tall regal looking older woman appeared, I swear I did not see her approach, and said to me, "You don't look happy. Are you happy?"....I smiled at her, and said yes, I actually AM happy....and she went on her way. So.....yes, the kids need to learn things. They learn through trials, like we do.........but I was getting too impatient. Letting things get to me....just forgetting to have fun.....That lady was like a sunbeam, and I truly believe with all my heart that she was an angel.

All this time, Jon found a new thing to fuss about. He wanted his Walmart smiley-face stickers from me, that I had put in my pocket when he had to go pee. And he was demanding them from me. And I was telling him that sure, he could have them, as soon as he asked nicely.....MOM! He was getting very exasperated. Then I had a thought that it was not about winning, about holding out and making him humble himself, I just have to teach him respect. I sensed that if I pressed him too hard, I would make a big deal out of this thing, turn it into a giant battle. There are different ways to learn things, and though it was hard for me, as I got him into his car seat, I gave him the stickers and told him that he should say ,"Please, can I have them." As soon as he had them, he told me thank you, and he knows he should say please. Sometimes it is just too much for them to humble themselves like that.....by the time we got home, Jon was saying he was sorry for being bratty in the store again....theoretically, I probably shouldn't even bring him.....but reality: he loves going places, and is learning to deal with being overstimulated, or what ever it is that sets him off.....

Well, busy day or not, it is not over with yet, and here I sit. What the heck are we even having for dinner? They had the ace-in-the-hole pizzas last night.....(The Simpsons' hurricane ham...)