Yesterday morning started out as any other. Sarah and I had a heated discussion over her outfit. She didn't want to wear what I had chosen so she picked out another outfit. The plaid skirt and leopard print kitty cat shirt did not go together. Especially with the silver Birkenstock like sandals she had chosen to go with it. And the fact that it was 37 degrees outside made the choice in outfit even worse.
But I normally don't fight with her over clothing and since we were only headed to Wal-Mart, I let her wear the outfit. However, immediately after I said "fine, you can wear this" she decided she wanted to wear something else.
She and I finally made it to Wal-Mart and the real fun began. Lately, I have been letting her stay out of the cart as long as she stays with me. And she usually does a great job staying with me. In fact, she is usually "helping" me push the cart so what should be a 45 minute trip to Wal-Mart usually ends up taking an hour and a half.
As soon as we walked into the health and beauty section, she looked at me, tilted her head and smiled. This wasn't her sweet smile this was her devilish smile. I swear I saw an actual gleam in her eye.
And then she took off. She started running through the aisles of Wal-Mart. And as she was running I could hear her giggling in delight.
I decided not to start running after her because I knew that would only make her fun faster. And since I could hear her giggles, I could keep up with her even though I couldn't see her. But then, I couldn't hear her any more. And I couldn't see her. So I said a quick prayer and started running through the aisles of Wal-Mart calling out for her.
Luckily, our Wal-Mart is pretty empty at 9:00 on a Monday morning . Usually it's just a few elderly people and other stay-at-home moms. But you never know when the random creep or pervert is going to be out and about so I started to get nervous.
I ran through other aisles calling her name and finally I spotted her. She had one of her silver sandals in her hand and the devilish gleam was still in her eye.
This time I was able to chase her and grab her and as I put her in the cart, I started telling her that in addition to being stuck in the cart for the next 5 maybe 6 years, she wouldn't get any TV or computer time for the rest of the day.
And let me tell you folks, that punishment hurt Mommy just as much as it hurt her. No TV or computer meant that I had to come up with lots of extra activities to fill the time.
We planted flower seeds in the rain (it was only a light mist at the time but it was rain none the less), we made two crafts (pretty cheesy ones but still, they were crafts and one of them even required that I get out the glue gun), we baked banana bread (have I ever mentioned that I don't enjoy the mess of baking with kids) and we whined.
A lot.
All in all, I think her punishment was harder on me than it was on her but I hope she learned her lesson. And I'm sure she and I will be reminded of it every Monday for the next 5 years as I plop her in the cart and have to hear her whine and whimper for 45 minutes as we make our way through the aisles of Wal-Mart.
And I just keep telling myself that her defiance and disobedience is just a phase but I hope it is one that we pass through quickly because quite frankly, I've had enough of it!
And the funny thing is, that when we got into the car to head home, I turned on the radio and Trace Adkin's song, "You're Gonna Miss This" was playing.
And as I started singing along, I laughed and realized that yes, one of these days I am gonna miss this.
22 comments:
That song makes my eyes fill up with tears every time. Those are the days that we will remember when they call us telling us about their hairy scary days with their own kids :)
We had a similar incident in the mall involving someone hiding in the clothing racks. So back into the stroller the culprit went.
(I love that song.)
A friend of mine passed your blog site along to me. Love it, love it, love it! :)
Beth- it's unfortunate that we don't frequent the same Walmart. Mischievious children lock to flock together...
and yesterday was also our family trip to Walmart by where most of the trip was spent with K-girl beggging to get out of the cart and the boys fake light saber fighting in the aisles.
Ahhhh... the peopl ein the blue smocks just LOVE us.
Dead right you'll missit! It's much easier chasing her round a few aisles in Wal-Mart than it is trying to get her to answer her phone at 3am when she's still out!
Make the most of it Beth. When you've blinked a couple of times, she'll be nineteen!
Yes, the devilish gleam in the eye. I know it well. I recognize my boys giggles and cries from across the house and can judge from their tones, etc. if I need to run, walk or ignore them.
KEEP BELIEVING
Sometimes I purposely stop myself and realize one day "I'm gonna miss this"
Very well written! I could have posted this very same story. My 3 1/2 year old (Oct 16 b'day) thinks she can choose her own clothes. So we finally started hanging EVERYTHING in outfits. Very few are mix and match...if they are, they could all go together. No more arguments now.
My daughter once hid behind the big diaper boxes at Wal-mart. She was at my feet, then she was gone. She was missing for at least 20 minutes. That whole Code Adam thing, when it's your kid missing, is SO terrifying!
She sounds like a girl after my own heart, that one. That bit of spunk will take her far :)
Heidi
Just another day in my life.
Thanks for the reminder that I am not alone!
Don't be surprised if she starts acting up more. That mommy time is most likely more of a reward to her than you, but it sounded like a really fun day for her. Way to make the best of it.
OH! That sinking feeling when a little one finds a way to disappear. Ours pulled a Houdini over the weekend at a McDonaldland birthday party. She was only "missing" for about 30 seconds, but in that time I managed to panic so badly I spent the next 30 MINUTES alternately putting my head between my knees and breathing into a paper bag. It completely FREAKS ME OUT.
Take out your girl, insert my youngest boy, and this could have been our story. That is minus the sparkly Birkenstocks! Glad you stuck to your work, though this can be oh so difficult!
You are right, indeed, that these times will be missed someday!
Oh yes - I remember seeing that devilish gleam in the eye. And yes - that punishment was harder on you than on her. And - yes again, you will really miss it. I know I do! Thanks for the laugh today!
I was just thinking about how I'd had a similar thing happen when my oldest was about three and I reached out to grab her and my thumbnail got her at the corner of her eye and made a huge gash. You can imagine how I felt--
Hang tough mom! Sounds to me like you are doing a great job.
I had to follow through on a threat to my then 10 year old that if she didn't stop complaining about what she wasn't getting we would walk out of the mall and not do any shopping. She was livid and making a scene but I just kept walking and guess what? The next time I took her to the mall (which wasn't for about 3 months after that) I reviewed what happened the last time and I haven't had a problem with her at the mall since. It wasn't fun but it paid off and now we can enjoy shopping together.
Smiles!
Hey, you stole my thunder! Doesn't that sound like a kid?? No, really, this was going to be my song for Saturday. I just registered my son for Kindergarten, so I am already missing it. I remember well the days of wanting to pull my hair out, seems like yesterday, because it probably was! HAHA! I enjoyed your post more than you enjoyed chasing. BTDT!
Unfortunately, my oldest got kicked out of the cart too early to make room for my youngest. Fortunately, she has not tried to run off. Unfortanately, my youngest is very strong-willed, and is now REFUSING to sit in the cart, resorting to screaming. Will I miss this? I suppose if I live through it!
Aren't little girls a blast. My oldest is 24 now and she was quite the little stinker too. It seems boys will just up and go, but girls think and then when they think they have a clear get a way, they run. My 4 year old son does this too. He has an older brother who used to like to hide in the store between clothing racks and another brother who would get lost at least once a week in the store. We would hear "we have a little boy named Brandon who can't find his mommy." Obviously we found him, he just turned 16. He still wanders a lot and is never where he says he is going to be. When he says pick me up in front of the high school, somehow in 5 minutes he ends up in the back. He says "Oh, I'm sorry." He is in the clouds. The worst was at the mesquite rodeo in Texas, they let all the kids go chase a greased pig. Me and my husband were manning two entrances and my mom and dad were at one. Do you think any of us could find him. When the arena was empty once again we hears "A little boy named Brandon has lost his mom," Gee I wonder who's kid that was. Anyway you will miss this, but not the terror associated with it when you can't find them right away. And little girls are a lot faster than they look. Who knew little legs could go so fast.
I hear ya...this thought goes through my mind frequently!
Beth... You should come over and link this post to Then Sings My Soul Saturdays this weekend. I loved it. And you are right. It might drive us crazy right now... but we are going to miss it sooner than we think.
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