Wednesday, August 22, 2007

The Most Exasperating Mall Trip of My Life. .

Hey, blogging friends. I feel so crummy. . I've gotten out of my blogging habit with all the summer travels. . maybe I'm back in the game. . .I totally need so blog-therapy (blogapy???) though, so here I am, and here's my story.

OK, so I sometimes like to think that I'm super-mom--can do it all--with grace and patience--but I was just about brought low with my mall experience yesterday. First of all, Madison's sweet friend was spending the day with us--which is absolutely fabulous because she's just precious and we love her. I think, hey, I can go to the mall with 4 children. . .I only have 2 returns to make, one stop at Payless for Madison shoes and then we'll eat lunch and play at the kiddie play area. . .super-easy. Well, I knew pretty quickly that things weren't going to go my way. In the parking lot Jackson started the "I've gotta go potty" song and dance, so I quickly gathered up the children ("quickly" being a relative term of course), we went in straight to the bathroom, but he hadn't completely been able to wait so we start our shopping with damp shorts. I pull off the wet underwear. . and we're off. I stop at the list of mall stores (it's a new mall to me) and realize they don't have a Children's Place (return #1--oh, well). We head next to Bath and Body where I want to make my second return--exchange, actually. As I'm looking on the shelf for the eye make-up remover I want, Jackson starts saying "Mommy, I've gotta go potty." I say--"We JUST went. You can hold it a few minutes." Well, he couldn't. We went teetee right there on the floor. Seriously. A puddle. On the floor. Luckily no one else is in the store, and Maddie and her friend dart off as if they're not with us. I apologize to the lady (who is very sweet and understanding), clean it up, get a credit voucher--because they do not have what I need!, and we head across the way to Gap kids to buy something for Jackson to wear. OK, so now I get him some jeans, but they're buy one get the 2nd 50% off, so I go ahead and get Madison some too. $35 bucks later, Jackson is dry and we head to the food court. As we're standing in line at Wendy's, Jackson starts the song and dance AGAIN!!! (Mommy, I gotta go potty!) So.. I order and then take all 4 children back to the restroom (Now, don't forget that I'm pushing the huge stroller and keeping track of all 4 children!). He goes-again-and we go eat our lunch. Next, we head to payless where I get Madison 2 pairs of shoes--but no Sunday shoes (oh, well-AGAIN). Well, by now it turns out that we're not going to have time to play, so I offer the kids a cookie instead. The girls are fine, but Jack-Jack is disappointed, but we do avoid a tantrum. Finally, we make it out to the car. . I'm hot and exhausted. . but thankfully, the kids are not grumping. . and as I cool down (literally and figuratively). . . I realize again that life with 3 (or 4) children is never boring!

So there it is--the Most Exasperating Mall Trip of My Life. Feel free to top it if you, too, have a "funny" mall story! Let's hear it! :)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

FOUR KIDS!!!
You are a brave soul!
I won't go to the mall with two kids to shop unless I have help, what-so-ever.
As for a rough trip experience, I talked Dave into going once. Keep in mind that he hates crowded places. Well the mall closed and the loudest BEEP BEEP BEEP noise starts. Teenagers start hurding out of the mall and we are being literally pushed with our kids upset in the stroller and one screaming. SO we made a new rule: Don't run up to the Parks Mall on Sunday evening, they close at 6 and it is terribly loud.

Anonymous said...

One time Will pooped in his underwear while we were at Rooms To Go. It fell out of his underwear and rolled on the ground! Not kidding!
Next time, wear a pull up to the mall when you have 4 kids...might be easier! Hang in there, sister!

Anonymous said...

Wow. This is quite a story. I had no idea that was in store for you when you were in the church office telling us that you were about to head for the mall with 4 children! We should have laid hands on you before you left. :-)

Anonymous said...

Oh my, Star!! I am totally feeling for you! I must say that story tops any that I can think of. Although I'm sure my day is coming.... Back when Hannah was a baby I did have a shopping experience where she had the worst poop ever and it leaked through her clothes into her car seat carrier and I didn't have a spare outfit with me that day. It was awful! Sorry about your rough day.

Anonymous said...

star
i'm so glad to have connected in blogland!
this is fun! i hope to stop by often and see your cute family!
love
liz
**i've had many distrastous outings with the kids...too many to write about.
and somehow i keep taking them places?

Anonymous said...

Oh, my goodness! What we have to look forward too!!

Anonymous said...

hee hee...I just giggled through most of that! Glad to hear your summer was great and that have gotten back into the swing of things. I must say, I think you are brave...we only have Boo and even just going to the mall with him is sometimes hairy. I noticed you didn't mention anything about Hope, so she must have been a total angel! :) Love the pics of the summer...Jackson looks so much like Stephen and love the picture of you grabbing him back from the room for a hug! :) Love it!