This last week, I went to the store with Gemma. This is a regular occurrence, but lately it has been a LOT more work. Sometime in the last month, Gemma decided she wasn't going to willingly ride in the cart anymore. For awhile, I got away with just sticking her in the cart anyway while she cried. Then, I could distract her and obtain grocerries. Not anymore. Now, the minute I pull the cart out, she starts bucking and screaming and generally becoming a whirling dervish of activity. She does not care if she falls or hits her head or if everyone in a 2 mile vicinity is staring at her. She doesn't care one bit. She just cares about not being buckled into the cart. Getting her foot into the tiny opening on the cart is suddenly impossible. Forcing her to stay sitting down requires a lot of strength and more hands than I possess. Keeping her sitting down AND buckling her is next to impossible.
Occasionally, she can be talked into riding in the larger bottom section of the cart, but this isn't great because she doesn't like to sit down and I worry like CRAZY she is going to tip out and fracture her skull on the floor.
I spend most shopping trips quickly glancing at the shelves while keeping a hand on her at all times and grabbing the stuff we need. Or that I think we need.
Recently, I came home from the store with a tube of what I thought was hair gel. After I got out of the shower, I squeezed a small amount into my hand, rubbed it around and started working it into my hair. It was bubbly. Really bubbly. It was only then that I took the time to actually LOOK at the tube and discovered it was shampoo. Not gel. Whoops. Back into the shower.
Anyway, back to this last week.
I took Amelia and Gemma to the craft store to look for a few things. Amelia stayed right with me as usual. This girl is like a shadow. The biggest problem I have is occasionally stepping on her as she sometimes stands too close. But, I always know where she is.
Gemma was not riding in the cart. She was doing a moderately good job of staying with me. This was largely due to the fact I had a package of Smarties in my coat pocket and would occasionally give her one. If I went too long between Smarties, she would wander off to the nearest aisle with the largest selection of breakable items and start to dance.
After a short while, I had had enough looking and Gemma wrangling. There were a few items in the cart and we headed to the check out line. It was crowded, so we got in line. Gemma stood squeezing all the different candies at her eye level while I tried to distract her as I unloaded the cart.
We had the following conversation:
Gemma: I pick dis one!
Mama: No. Nope. We aren't getting any candy today, Gemma.
Gemma: I nnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeed it!
Mama: Not today sweat pea. We need to go home and have lunch.
Gemma: I need it. It for my burpday (birthday)! Happy burpday, Demma! (Gemma)
Mama: It isn't your birthday! Your birthday is a long way away!
Gemma: Ooooh. (sticks out lip). Peas? Peas, Mom? For my burpday?
Mama: (trying to contain my laughing) No. I'm sorry, no.
Gemma: I share you! (I will share with you!)
Mama: (laughing out loud, no use trying to hide it) The answer is still no sweetie. ( which was much easier to do with Amelia watching me and reminding me that if Gemma got a treat, SHE would need a treat also.)
Shortly after the treat conversation, Gemma's interest wandered away from the candy. I tried to see what she was looking at, but couldn't figure it out. She suddenly bolted. I left Amelia with the cart and took off after Gemma. She is fast. She turned around to see if I was following and then ran faster. I turned around to see if Amelia was okay. When I turned back, Gemma had pushed her way out the door. They were just regular push/pull store doors that exited into a small lobby area.
The minute she got outside the door, she flopped herself down onto her stomach right in front of the door. The door swung outward, so I was going to have to go further down to another set of doors to get to the stinker. When I got a little closer, she put both hands under her chin and sweetly gazed up at my. While laying on the floor in the entrance to the lobby. I heard several titters behind me and turned to see we had a small audience.
"She is SO cute!" one woman commented.
I got out into the lobby and grabbed my naughty child and brought her back. When we got back to our place, the cashier was still ringing up our purchases and Amelia was right where I left her.
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