Usually I figure out a way to avoid grocery shopping with all three girls in tow. Yesterday, though, I packed everyone up, and we hit our local upscale grocery store. Either my husband or I will shop there just about every week to snatch up the loss leaders, and whatever we’ve forgotten when we picked up our staples at a cheaper store.
My daughters love the “car carts” at the grocery store. So upon arrival, I wiped down a “car cart” with sanitizing wipes, set my youngest on top in her car seat, and had my two year old and four year old climb into the “car.” Granted, not much room left over for the groceries, but I get creative and usually manage. I buckled in my two year old, but the other buckle didn’t work. I warned my four year old to stay in the cart, and we were off!
Unfortunately, it was 3:00, not a good hour to start a shopping adventure. The small snack before we left had not been enough to tide over my four year old. After 5 minutes, we were approaching the deli station, and she jumped out of the car while we were still moving. “Mom, can I get some ham?”
“We’re not getting deli meat today. You’ll be okay without. You need to hop back in.”
“Well, I’m really hungry. Can I just get one piece?”
Before I had a chance to explain that you don’t just walk up to the deli counter and ask for a slice of meat when you aren’t purchasing anything, my two year old shot out of the car and went racing down the aisle. Apparently the buckle didn’t hold our little Houdini.
“Don’t worry–I got this, Mom!” My four year old then tore after her sister, shrieking, “Super Alita two-point-oh to the rescuuuue!!”
I caught up with them at the refrigerated meat case at the end of the aisle. My four year old had pinned her sister to the ground, while the captive struggled and cried. “You get back in the cart. I told you not to get out.” I scolded my eldest. Then when I tried to put my two year old back in, she did what my friend calls the “wet noodle” and flopped back onto the floor. I saw an older couple observing the scene. When I glanced in their direction, they pretended to be absorbed in the ground turkey. Finally, I bribed my daughter with a treat to get her back in her seat.
We finally got the cart moving again, and I raced through the store, picking up the week’s deals. If I kept the cart moving fast enough, nobody attempted an unauthorized exit.
We made it to checkout. I noted that our clerk was one of their fastest, thank goodness. He was maybe in his 50s and never very friendly, but in my situation, speed definitely is preferable to a smile.
Unfortunately, as soon as we stopped, my four year old jumped out again and started helping unload. We always unload together when it is just the two of us out shopping. I tried to explain that this time, she needed to get back in, because her sister would want to get out, and her sister needed to stay in.
Too late. Her sister started wailing loudly. For some reason, this time the buckle was holding, and she was not happy. “Stuck!! Too stuck!!!” she cried as she struggled. The baby was getting tired and wanted to move instead of standing still. She started whimpering. “Alita, go ahead and get the food out of the cart. As fast as you can!”
We tossed groceries on the belt. Then I realized the bagged groceries were not going to fit back in the “car cart” along with my children. Doggone five for five deals! “I’m going to grab another cart,” I told the clerk.
Then the woman behind me in line said, “It’s okay, we’ll keep an eye on your little ones.” I realized it was the older couple in the meat department. She started up a stream of chatter for my baby and still-shrieking two year old in the cart. Her older sister and I grabbed another cart and wheeled it back. The clerk and I started loading bags onto the new cart.
At that point, my four year old realized that in another break from routine, she was not getting a balloon. This particular store always has free balloons for kids at checkout. “Mom, what about a balloon?”
“We’re not doing balloons today, okay?” No way was I juggling helium balloons for her and for her sister on top of everything else.
Immediately, she joined her sisters in wailing. “Alita!” I exclaimed. “You can handle not getting a balloon!” I promised a snack in the car to quiet her.
“Why don’t we go with you to your car?” the gentleman suggested. “We can push a cart. I don’t know how you would do it otherwise.”
“Oh, thank you so much!” I was afraid I’d tear up. I then realized that they were purchasing a single item–one container of yogurt. Before ringing it up, the usually taciturn clerk actually put his hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay, Mom. You’re doing fine.”
As the train left the checkout–two carts, three children, three adults, and eight bags of groceries–suddenly everyone’s wailing quieted to sniffles. Once outside, the gentleman insisted on loading the bags of groceries into the van while I unloaded the girls. His wife kept my seven month old entertained, until I clicked her back into her seat in the van. I let out a sigh. “Thank you so much. So, so much.”
“It’s no trouble.” My grocery store Good Samaritans waved, and shuffled toward an aging Grand Marquis.
“Well,” I said to my four year old as I finished buckling her in, “we must’ve looked pretty pathetic in there.”
“Yeah, mom!” she agreed enthusiastically. “Mom, can I have my snack now?”
Upon hearing the story, my husband offered his usual response: “Yet another place of business in this town that I no longer can set foot in.”
“Well, we got the groceries. Mission accomplished,” I told him. That’s right, I get by…with a little help from new friends.
What a beautiful, refreshing article! It helps us all to regain perspective and feel encouraged to know we are not alone; we’ve all had “those” days.
What I love most about this blog is how honest the posts are, freely acknowledging that we just plain don’t know it all – and that’s okay. How freeing to read that there aren’t always three “easy” steps to tackling every challenge, but there is total beauty in each moment of the journey of motherhood…sometimes found simply in thankfully reflecting on what may have felt like chaos.
Please do keep these wonderful posts coming. They remind us all that we aren’t alone!
Thank you for your kind words, JO. I’m so happy the post was encouraging for you. Yes, definitely a crazy afternoon, but good came out of it! Thanks again.
God bless those kind people. Too often one would encounter people who would be impatient and judgmental and in turn rude to a struggling mom. I learned a lesson from your episode, Mollie! Thanks. <3
Thank you, Norma! It’s great to hear your perspective. Yes, they easily could have been impatient and upset—and they had come into the store for just one item! They were a blessing. Thanks again for the comment.