An Interesting Trip

We went to Target this morning. It was quite an interesting trip full of mommy decisions and child strife. It all started out well, everyone seemed in a good mood. We picked up a few things we needed. I even picked up a box of donuts because Ryan asked so nicely for them. Then we continued through the store browsing a bit as we made our way to the sunglasses on the other side. Ryan lost his second pair of the summer last week and we are going to the beach soon. That might not be enough to get me to buy them, but the pair I bought for myself at Target this year recently broke too, so I figured I'd get us both some. They didn't have the style I liked last time which is really upsetting because it is really hard for me to find sunglasses I like and look good on my face. I did end up getting Ryan some and these baby ones with an elastic band for Lily. I thought Lily should have those since the moment I got the plastic ones near her she grabbed them and almost bend the ear piece off. Plus the regular ones said for 3 and up and she still puts stuff in her mouth and breaks things regularly. Then it was time to get the cold stuff and go, so we headed back over to the other side of the store (yes I know, bad planning) to get milk, eggs, etc. On the way Lily spotted the donuts and had to have one in that way that only 1 years olds can. She cried. I tried to distract her, but she was focused on those donuts and no amount of bright, shiny, noisy objects were going to deter her from achieving her goal. She squirmed and wiggled to try to get her hands on the box. She screamed and pointed thinking I should hand them to her. I hate to give in to crying fits, but it was past snack time and people seemed to think stopping and blocking the aisle in front of me and my screaming baby was a great idea. It's really hard to maneuver a cart with a preschooler and a bunch of junk in the front while you hold a squirmy toddler that wants donuts. Finally I just opened the stinkin' box of donuts and gave one to Lily and one to Ryan to avoid his inevitable protest (that coincidentally started as I pulled out his donut, but stopped as soon as he realized it was for him). Sometimes you just have to give in a little to keep you sanity.

Before all the mayhem with Lily, on the way over to the sunglasses, I realized Ryan had reached a new stage in his little life and it's not a good one. I realized this at the pivotal moment when he said, "Mommy, I need more Thomas the Tank Engine trains because Friend Ben has more than me." And all at once I realize that he is now comparing himself to his peers. This could mean disaster. I told him that we don't need to have something just because someone else does, but he was not convinced. He then broke in to a chorus of, "Please, please, please!" This is not something he normally does and I've always tried to prevent this the same way my parents did, "It doesn't matter how many times you say please I'm not going to change my mind." Then of course latter I undo all the good I've done with that by completely caving when his sister begged (in her own way) for a donut. I'm hoping the bonus donut for him distracted him enough that he didn't put two and two together. ::sigh:: Erin, no offence, but I've seen your basement of unending toys and if this stage continues I'm not sure we will be able to come over and play, we can't afford it;-)

As an added bonus to this lovely shopping experience both kids fell asleep in the car on the way home. I was so pleased because I saw the framers heading out of the neighborhood for lunch as we pulled in and I thought I would have some peace and quiet. Of course Ryan had to squelch that magnificent dream by waking up as I carried him in and protesting quiet time. "I'm not tired!" has been whined at me so many time since then that I might just flip out. He has cried, screamed, made tons of excuses to come out of his room, lost dessert, TV and the pool this afternoon all in the time that I have written this post. All in the time that was supposed to be quiet and relaxing. It has not been so quiet or relaxing.