Why Do I Torture Myself?

Today I had to go out shopping. And I had to take all 3 kids. It was unavoidable because tomorrow is Bryan's birthday and I needed to finish up some birthday shopping. And I was dreading this shopping trip it to say the least.

I have been very spoiled for the last three months, because whenever I really needed to go out shopping I would just go and leave all of the kids home with Bryan. See, unemployment has some benefits to it - NO SHOPPING WITH KIDS

Anyway, we get going and store #1 was fine. No problems and they were pretty well behaved. Just 100 questions or so from Jace.

Store #2 was Old Navy. Things were fine, the boys received suckers from a worker and they were just sitting on the base of a clothing rack, sucking away and being quiet. And then I hear Cole say, "Mom, my thumb's stuck." Old Navy has display racks made from galvanized metal with holes in them that look like the pole of a STOP sign. Get it? Well, Cole decided to stick his thumb in there because of course it's a perfect fit.

I immediately told him not to pull on it because I actually know someone who had a son that did the exact same thing at an Old Navy, and it cut his thumb all up and he had to get stitches. So I grabbed my lotion out of my purse and started rubbing it around his little thumb and pulling gently. It wasn't coming and he started screaming. I tried to remain calm but I was getting slightly panicked because I couldn't get it out. I flagged down a worker for some help and was asking her for any other ideas when luckily his thumb came out. Thank goodness it wasn't cut. Cole was upset and his thumb was red and irritated, but he was fine.Seriously, though?

Okay Old Navy, it's time for some new clothing racks WITHOUT toddler sized finger holes.

Then it was on to store #3 (I know, I'm pushing it at this point). My anxiety and stress level has raised considerably from store two to store three. In store #3 the boys are wandering off, chasing each other around the clothing racks, punching, and wrestling in the store. How many times do I have to ask them to stay by me and to keep their hands to themselves? Ugh.

We then traveled home took some naps and then went back out to one more store because I still didn't find what I needed for Bryan's birthday. At this store of course Jace has to use the bathroom so I sent him into the bathroom and told him to do his thing. Well, about 8 minutes later he's still not done and the toilet is flushing over and over and over. The door is locked and who knows what's going on in there? I end up having to go in there to help him finish up and I stress about that because that then leaves the other two out in the hallway by themselves and we already know what Cole's done today when I wasn't looking.

Blah, blah, blah, right? Shopping with all of the kids is not my idea of fun and it does not show off my best mothering skills. I use to be great at- calm, collected, having fun with the kids -when the boys were younger, but throw in another kiddo and two older boys and things change, and not for the better.

And to cap off the day, at dinner Jace told Bryan, "We got you some awesome shirts, but I'm not going to tell you what they are." Then when we were kneeling down for family prayers Jace prayed, "Grateful that we could buy Dad clothes for his birthday."

Awesome. Thanks, Bud.