Grocery Shopping

I haven't decided which I like better; grocery shopping by myself, shopping with all 3 kids, or shopping with Sam alone. I actually like to go grocery shopping. Sometimes, I think the ultimate high would be going alone (woo hoo!) Until I do, then I realize I miss the company ( all of the 'can I have this? Can we eat? Can we go there?'s excluded.)

When I go with all 3, I have plenty of help, especially since I darn near need 2 carts now with the new Super Wal-Mart open. But then, when it's just me and Sam, I enjoy the time with him right there in front of my, jibber jabbering his way down the aisles.

We left the house early this morning, right after the older two had left for school. First thing Sam says when we're on the road. "Car! Car! Mommy, look! Car! Truck!" This went on for the next 20 minutes, all the way to Target. Inside Target, wouldn't you know it...cars every where! I'm still not sure exactly where all these cars were, but Sam sure saw them. By now, he's getting a little more intense. He doesn't just *see* cars. He *wants* cars. Anything with a wheel is a car (which means, every cart we passed..Mommy, CAR!) Half way through the store, he decides he doesn't want to sit in the cart in more. He wants to "hug, mommy!" Which means, he manipulates his way to standing up and hugging me, with the hope that I'll either pick him up or let him stand. This...to date....has not worked, but it hasn't kept him from trying!

We leave Target and head over to the mall (wow! Wouldn't you know it? More cars in the parking lot!) As soon as we enter the mall, what should we find but two men installing a new stroller system in which the strollers are....you guessed it, CARS! There was even a bus for 2 to ride! But alas, this was new and not yet installed, but two of the strollers were right there in plain view where you-know-who had an unobstructive view of them. This sent him off into the biggest "car" tirade of the day!" I carried him down the hall crying "car" and reaching backward the entire way. He finally settles down when we hit the center court, only to turn the corner and find a "car" sitting right in the middle of the aisle (apparently, it was part of a drawing that you could win.) By this time, I had set Sam down to walk. I didn't bring his stroller in because I only had one store I needed to stop in to check on an item I've been looking for and had planned to leave right after. Sam makes it to the brand new car before I do and is trying to open the door. I can still hear the resounding echoes of my dad's voice in my head, "You NEVER touch the paint on a car!" as my son has his grubby little hands all over the passenger door. I quickly check to make sure nobody saw and swipe him up. We head to my intended destination, what I'm looking for is not there, and back out again. DARN. Wouldn't you know it? We have to go back past the "car" strollers to leave. Yet another tirade of 'car!' and tears ensues. I'm actually laughing at this point. My boy does like his cars!

We go to Wal-Mart where Sam is still crying for his cars. It's almost lunch time now. I know that I need to hurry up, get all the items on my list and leave before we have a total melt down. Once inside (away from all cars!) he finally settles down into the cart and happily jabbers to me as we shop. He says "hi" to all the other babies, tells all the clerks and grandmas that stop to talk to him to come "back here!" when they walk away, and practices all his new words as loudly as he can enjoying the echo of the warehouse.

I try to sneak past the Matchbox Car animal crackers strategically placed on the end cap, but alas..it was not missed by old eagle-eye-car-lovin' Sam. "CAR cracker!" he starts in. Thankfully, he was easily distracted in the next aisle.

We check out and head for home. Finally, the car chatter has ceased. He has moved on to his shoes which he has now decided need to come off. Thank God for front and center seats on the Toyota Siennas! This was the whole selling point for me on this van! I can easily reach back and pull his shoes off so he settles down comfortably for the rest of the drive home.

We make a pit stop at my mom's store where Sam found a (no, you guessed wrong! Not a car) a DUMP TRUCK to obsess over! The truck, beeps, and makes a variety of other 'truck' noises. And of course, Me Me, the good grandma that she is, buys the truck for Sam which he then brings home with us.

So we spend the whole day obsessing about cars, and end up with a dump truck. Sometimes, we don't always get what we want. Sometimes, we get something better!

A few pics of Sam with the truck this morning.

Say, "cheese!" (he does this now whenever he sees the camera.)

After effects of the "cheese" smile.