Field Trip

We had to get out of the house today, we all have had such cabin fever!! I NEED spring and so do the boys! So this morning, we ventured out shopping!! First, we went to Wal-Mart because I needed some odds and ends. The boys were so excited to get out! I explained to them that they would sit in the back of the cart, that they could not stand up or get out and the consequences for these actions would be for us to leave. I also explained we were just looking, we were NOT going to ask to buy anything. Well, I have to say it went fantastic!!!! They sat so nicely in the cart, they held onto the items I was purchasing and no one whined, complained or asked for anything!! We haven't been out shopping in a very long time, I am thinking honestly it may have been Christmas time since I took them out to a store with me. SO when we walked into Wal-Mart, they were screaming with excitement, "Wow!!" and Cenzo said, "I yuv it here!"

We really had fun going up and down the aisles. We even looked through every toy aisle without them asking if they could hold or buy anything (so unusual for them.) At the end I gave them each $1 and let them pick a matchbox car. When we went to the register they loved getting to pay with their own money. And they chatted endlessly with the poor cashier!!

It went so well in fact, that i decided to push my luck and stop at the grocery store.

Now, the boys have only been to the grocery store with me one other time in their lives. Usually my husband goes or I go alone. Its a nice outing and I have never seen the logic in dragging two children along to the task. With that said, we stopped at Big Y because I wanted to buy organic diapers and wipes for a baby shower I am going to this weekend and I knew Big Y carries Seventh Generation.

SO again I explained the rules and loaded them into the cart. As we walked into the store I saw one of those carts with the ride-on car attached and I thought to my self, "oh how fun!" I loaded them into it and they were just overjoyed. It was like we had entered Chuck E Cheese or an amusement park. They loved the car, they waved to everyone we passed and yelled, "Hello, Hellllloooooo" to each innocent passerby who dared walk near us. We chatted with an elderly woman who sat drinking her coffee, we chatted with a person stocking shelves, we even ran into a friend from their gym class so we chatted with him and his grandmother. They were so fired up with energy!!

When we checked out, they were hanging out of the car trying to talk to the cashier and bagger. Cenzo kept yelling, "HI, I Cenzo." OMG!! It was so funny.

Then we headed out to our car...
I put the groceries into the trunk, then I put Luccio into his carseat. THEN, I tried to get Cenzo out of the Car cart. UH-OH!!

He went nuts, screaming, crying, kicking!! I could reach inot the darn thing to get him so I tried bribing him with a muffin and cheese sticks. No luck. Finally he leaned close enough for me to pull him out of the tiny opening of the cart. He yelled, "Put me down!!! I staying here!" He screamed so loud my ears rang. I got him inot his carseat but couldn't buckle the straps. I tried reasoning with him about how difficult it can be to leave when we are having fun and I assured him we would come back. No use. His face was so red, tears streaming and he was screaming the entire time. This old man pulled up next to us and I thought, Oh God. Nothing is nosier than an old guy. So OF COURSE he heard Cenzo and OF COURSE he walked his nosy old behind over to us to ask if I needed help. I explained that it was their first time really being at a grocery store and they loved the Car cart. So he offered to move it to maybe distract Cenzo. I thought anything was worth a try. And honestly the last thing I needed while my child was having a meltdown was an old guy nagging me. ughhhh!! So away he went with the cart. And Cenzo screamed LOUDERRRRRR." But, it gave me enough time to quickly buckle him in.

He cried all the way home. Then he refused to get out of his carseat so I unloaded Luccio and the groceries and went back out to get him. And he continued screaming and kicking so I sat him on the couch and put away groceries. This had carried and on for almost 30 minutes by this point. I have never seen him this upset. So I told him he should go in his bed and when he felt calm to call me. Because it was time for lunch and nap and I knew he needed both, I was hoping he would calm down quickly. FINALLY, almost 10 minutes later I heard him yelling, "Mommy I ok now. I feel all better."

I went in to get him and washed his face and brought him to the kithcen to eat. And he sat in his chair and said, "I happy now, I feeling better." I assured him I was happy too and that I was glad he felt better and then he sked, "I go grocery store again?" Uh, maybe some day.....