First off one of my BIGGEST pet peeves of ALL times is when you are expecting something and it isn't there! For instance I went to the fridge last week for a string cheese and it was gone! Not a big deal that someone ate the last one, but it is a BIG deal that you didn't tell me so I could have bought more the day before when I was at the grocery store!! Or when I go to make the boys lunch and the bread is gone, or I am in the middle of making supper open the fridge to grab some cheese and there isn't any left! So FRUSTRATING!!!!! I think someday I'll get it together and create a clipboard and when someone takes the last thing they write it down...but until then my frustration level will just continue to rise!
Anyway, back to today. So it takes at LEAST 40 minutes to get all of us ready, diapers changes, and in the car which is why I NEVER go anywhere by myself unless I really need something!! So this is actually only my THIRD trip with all four children by myself. I have to remind Cael 10 times to do one task. I tell him to go potty and somehow that sounds like, get your piggy bank, dump it out, and make it "RAIN" money (as he is yelling IT'S RAINING at the top of his lungs)!!! SERIOUSLY I need to learn his language because apparently he doesn't speak the same one I do! Now, on top of asking him to go potty, now I am asking him to pick up his money (which now he is screaming, "I NEED HELP!, funny he didn't need help when it was "raining" money all over the living room!) Finally, two diapers changed (one poopy, phew don't have to worry about that at Wal Mart!), money is back in the piggy bank with the help of mom, because I really just want to get a FEW groceries and finally sending Cael in to go potty! I told him we can't go potty at Wal Mart because it is too hard for mommy to get us all in the bathroom so we ALL have to go now! Bowen has done all of his jobs and is waiting at the door. Cael brings out his socks and he picks the most UGLY socks in his drawer, denim blue crew socks and he pulls them up to his knees when he wears them. (again another battle I should win by just removing them from his drawer but who thinks of that until he finds them, again, to wear.) FINALLY, I get Cael outside and Bowen, who as been sitting in the car for 10 minutes is pointing at Cael's seat...AHHHHHHHHH can you guess?!?! IT IS MISSING!!!! REMEMBER my biggest pet peeve!!! So now I have to get the carseat in the van (not an EASY task) and hook it up (another horrible task!) Finally, get it in the van, try to hook it using the hooks and I pinch my finger! So, now I am TICKED!! You know when you are already mad and then you hurt yourself and it JUST TICKS (nicely put) you off! So, as this happens my LOVELY two year old decides he FINALLY wants to sit in his car seat while I am still trying to buckle it so of course I yell for him to get out of the seat until I have it buckled! I startled him, so now he is crying loudly and I am mad because we started this adventure over 30 minutes ago! Should probably just stay home, but I am stubborn and we need a birthday present for tomorrow. Finally get the car seat in and tell Cael to get into his seat while I get Cruz. I get Cruz buckled in and imagine that, Cael is still NOT in his seat (but remember earlier how badly he wanted to sit in his seat!) Again, tell him he better be in his seat by the time I get Cambell or ... Come back out, put Cambell in and FINALLY get Cael in his seat! I run back inside and look at the time and realize it is now 9:55 (I started at 9:05 if I don't grab a snack and a bottle for the babies it could be bad news.) So it takes me a little over 5 minutes to get everything together (what can I say I was kind of enjoying the piece and quiet!) Bowen comes in and asks me if I am coming? Finally, get everything rounded up, go to get in the van and I smell something! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!! STRIKE #54...so tempted to get EVERYONE out and forget about it, but now I FINALLY have everyone buckled and the only one that can move is Bowen so heck no I am not letting anyone out I finally have them contained to one spot. (however, the voice in the back of my head is saying you should probably let Cael out to go potty, because now he WILL have to go at Wal Mart, but I ignore that). After I get Cambell changed and back in the car we are off!!!! It is now 10:15!!!
Get to Wal Mart, Cael of course refuses to get out of the car. I have the babies in the stroller (first time I went by myself I put them both in the cart and ended up only being able to get a handful of groceries. Wasted trip!!) and a mother, who has 6 children with her, walks by me! If she can do this and make it look easy so can I (Well maybe not the looking easy part but who is judging?) I got a front row parking, so that had to be a good sign!
Finally, get inside grab a cart, Cael is trying to drive the motorized scooters (seriously this child makes me look like Arnold Schwarzenegger from Kindergarten Cop...maybe I should buy a whistle!) Give Bowen the cart, I push the babies and try to round up Cael and there is NO turning back! We go down an aisle and Bowen's cart is going crazy. It pulls to one side really bad and of course that is the side Cael tries to ride on so now the cart is starting to tip, I'm trying to grab it, while looking completely in control of the situation, while trying to calmly ask Cael to get off, and not leave the babies! When all I really want to do is SCREAM and/or laugh at the situation!
I also have grabbed Cael mulitple times, picked him up and ask him in my "mom voice" to KNOCK IT OFF while he screams "I'll LISTEN THIS TIME" and "I'll Be GOOD, I PROMISE!" Needless to say he knows I can't possible hold him, push a stroller, get groceries and help Bowen control the cart all at the same time!!
Finally, get to the baby food aisle and of course there is a lady and a man with ONE child taking up the entire area that we need to be at, so I calmly wait 30 seconds and she continues to take her time, so I quickly decide to hit the Kleenex aisle and return to this aisle in a minute. While heading to the Kleenex aisle I run into ANOTHER woman with SIX children!! I look at her and I said "I feel your pain!" and she just looks at me! Seriously, just because I look like Arnold and you like God DANG Mrs. BRADY! with your six children you could have at least humored me and said SOMETHING!
Get our Kleenexes and head back to the baby food aisle. And then it happens Cael starts SCREAMING, "I HAVE TO GO POTTY, I HAVE TO GO POTTY! HURRY I am PEEING MY PANTS!! Needless, to say he was not quite peeing his pants, but I knew it was going to happen if we didn't get to the bathroom soon! So now I have Cael by the arm, pushing the stroller one handed, trying to steer the cart with my foot, because poor Bowen is having an awful time, and trying to keep Cael from stopping every 5 seconds to look at the things on the way and praying I would run into at least ONE person I know who could help me out!! NO such LUCK! Bowen takes Cael in to go potty, I steer the babies into the bathroom as well, and we finally make it!!! THANK GOD for BOWEN!!! He was such a helper today!! Get out of the bathroom, get a new cart, and finally get the rest of our groceries and are out of there!!
Finally get home, get groceries put away, open up the cupboard to make Nutella and Jelly Sandwiches for lunch and what do you know....we are out of bread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Trying to get a picture...notice Cael in the background!
And this is what he was doing...making handprints!
This is how we roll!! What will I do when I have two Cael's age!?!
We survived and Mommy is STILL smiling!!!
