Grocery Shopping

So I saw this picture somewhere... I can't remember where (yes, I think this last pregnancy has caused what is left of my brain cells to disappear, despite whatever omega junk I might be taking)... and it really irritated me. Well, it made me smile the first time. Now it just kind of irks me. And maybe because I'm a wee bit jealous, that while she is having all the fun in the world, I am usually saying things like,

"Don't pull on your brother's feet"

"Keep your hands on the cart"

"Stop hanging on the cart. It is small and unstable and will turn over on top of you." 
(Which may or may not be followed by, "Do you remember how that felt the last time you did that?")

"Be patient, I will get you one of those snacks to try."

"It's ok, don't cry that yours fell on the floor, you can share some of this one."
( I normally don't taste test too, but if its a sampling of something pumpkin, all goes out the window unless the cart is turned so Callum can't see me taking half of his. Otherwise he will cry the rest of the trip.)

"Don't kick the bananas. They'll bruise and then you won't want to eat them." 

"Your brother wouldn't hit you if you weren't pushing up against his seat and close enough for him to reach."

"Stop shaking the cart when your brother is trying to eat his sample."

"Don't pull on the cart and take it when Mommy isn't with you."

"No, you can't be in the cart right now. It's not big enough for the stuff we are buying and you."

"Please be careful to not run the cart into other people."

"Don't sit on the yogurt cups."

Stay by Mommy's cart."

"Don't touch that."

"No, we can't get that this time. It's not on Mommy's list. Maybe next time."

"No hitting."

"Put it back, please."


All of those usually have a "please" in there somewhere. I've noticed they start out at the beginning, but as it continues, they head towards the end, and sound pleasant, then exasperated and weary, until I notice that they are sounding exasperated and weary, and know that people are already thinking I'm looney for being "adventurous enough to go shopping with three young boys at this store" (that was said to me yesterday by an older man on a good day at Trader Joe's, albeit at the Chapel Hill location we were the only children in the store, so I think it was a sight to be hold even if they didn't make one wrong step the whole time and just wait until my belly pops through my loose shirts).   ... So anyways, after I notice I'm sounding exasperated, I head back to my superficial cheerful attitude, because even if it isn't fooling anybody, it does help me to become a bit more patient... I think.

And yes, each boy had at least two of those comments directed at them.

I may or may not have said all of those (and then some) our our weekly Raleigh shopping trip to Costco and Trader Joe's today (yes, we went to TJ to days in a row, but only because it was right next door to the fabric store that I needed to buy some fleece at, and they didn't have mango sorbet for my two dairy-free boys yesterday). Actually, the fabric store itself was horrific. I was reminded why I haven't been to JoAnn's in forever (this store had the small Asian-style shopping carts, was smaller then JoAnn's, thus making my kids seem louder, since again, they were the only children in the store).

Sigh.

Deep breath.


Do you ever have those days? Once again, it made me wonder how God ever thinks I will be able to handle four. I think my groceries will start being purchased off the internet, same as their clothes. :)