Normally I don’t venture out on my own with both kids unless Dan or someone else is with me. It’s just too much to be running in two different directions, juggling two kids, an oversize diaper bag and a multitude of toys and sippy cups. And let’s not forget the joys of wrestling Ryan into his car seat, or keeping him in one place while Alyssa takes her time using a public restroom.
Tonight was an exception, because I was already out, and didn’t feel like wasting gas and time by running back home, waiting for Dan to come home, and then going back out on my own. So off to Target I went, with Alyssa and Ryan in tow. When we all go out, Alyssa goes into a shopping cart, and Ryan goes into the stroller. He gets fidgety and pissy if he is in a shopping cart for more than .5 seconds, hence the stroller usage. Obviously, I can’t handle a stroller and a cart on my own, and wasn’t in the mood to deal with Ryan’s shopping cart induced crankiness, so I gave Alyssa the opportunity to walk in the store like a big girl while I pushed the stroller.
By the time we got to the front registers — after dawdling in numerous sections while waiting for Dan to get done from work and meet us there at Target — Alyssa had run off countless times. Each time my momdar would go off every single time she went out of sight (around a corner, behind a clothing rack, into the next aisle, etc.), and with visions of child snatchers in my head I would go chasing after her, or yell (not yell, but you know… demand loudly in a no-nonsense tone of voice, heh) for her to come back to me. Ryan kept tossing his sippy cup out of the stroller. I had a headache, and unrelated things on my mind were adding to my general feeling of being frazzled and irritated.
A rather hot looking guy behind me in line started unloading his basket onto the conveyor belt. Boxers, toothpaste, a Valentine’s Day card, some chewing gum, large box of condoms. I caught his eye, nodded towards Alyssa, who was tugging at my hand and whining for me to “let me go!” because it “wasn’t fair Mommy!”, then looked at the condoms. “Good choice!”, I told him. He winked, we both laughed, and I momentarily felt better. Until Alyssa darted away from me again when I was paying for our stuff. That’s it. Time to break out the toddler leash. And don’t even start on me about how inhumane it is. Better a leashed kid than a missing, raped, abused or dead one — or a combination of all four.
After Dan met me at the store, he took the kids to his car while I went back into Target for what I wanted to get there originally: a load of stuffed animals. Back story: Back in early January Alyssa picked out a small stuffed dog from Target’s OneSpot section, brought it home and named it Baby Doggy. Baby Doggy goes everywhere we go. If he doesn’t, Alyssa has a miniature stroke. Baby Doggy has his own bed, his own blanket, his own toys, and even his own bits of food during meals. Wherever Alyssa goes, whatever Alyssa does, Baby Doggy is right there with her.
Anyway, one night Dan had the brilliant idea of piling up as many of the stuffed doggies as we could find at Target. At $1.00 a piece, that many could quickly add up, so we kind of hemmed and hawed over it… until tonight, when I saw that a bunch of stuff in the OneSpot bin, the dogs included, were 75% off. Stuffed dogs for $0.25 apiece. SCORE!
I bet you can imagine what we came home with tonight…
17 Comments
, on February 2 2008 at 11:22pm:
What a crazy time with the kiddos at target, wow. You sound like you need a rest girl.
, on February 2 2008 at 12:26am:
Wow. I don’t know how you handle. And holy crap. That’s a lot of dogs, lol. But, they are some cute ones. I want one now, haha.
, on February 2 2008 at 1:44am:
Oh my goodness that’s a lot of doggies! I can’t even begin to imagine how crazy the people at target thought you were for buying them all, haha. At least you had a fun story to tell when you got home, too. 
, on February 2 2008 at 1:52am:
Oh wow, how many little dogs did you end up going home with? Don’t know how you can handle so much chaos going on all the time, I don’t think I’d be able to do it.
, on February 2 2008 at 8:06am:
I always wondered how parents did it, especially with two small children like that. That’s too funny that you bought all of those dogs, Alyssa is going to love it!
, on February 2 2008 at 8:26am:
The good thing about having all those dogs is that if she happens to misplace one, just whip out a new one. I’m guessing she’s already seen them though, so that might not work too well!
You know, I used to hate when I would see people with their kids on a leash. That is until I took my brother’s ex-girlfriend’s little girl to the store one time and wished that I had one.
, on February 2 2008 at 8:54am:
I was put on a leash and I turned out not missing-raped-abused-dead. 
, on February 2 2008 at 10:54am:
At least you dart after your child, I work at Target and one evening some lady came up to me saying she found a child and was following him so he didn’t get taken. Now if a child is missing and the parents contact one of the workers we immediately spring into action and lock down the store (no one goes out or in) and everyone searches for the child. But in this case I had the kid … just not the parents. Another girl came up to me and told me his parents were in shoes and sent a little 6 year old kid to find him. I did what I am supposed to and took the very small 3 year old to the service desk, and I guess his sister came up to the front to find him. What pissed me off the most is his own family didn’t give a flying fawk that he was gone, the guests in the store were more concerned with it and after it happened I had so many people coming up to me asking if I found his parents. The little boy had no idea what was going on, and went with me willingly. God forbid someone kidnapped him, the parents would not have noticed.
Whoa long comment, but had to share. It’s the parents that go after their kids that make me happy. I’ve seen the little doggies at the Target I work at, they’re pretty cute and popular even at a regular price.
, on February 2 2008 at 11:57am:
Amanda – I went to bed early last night and the kids slept late, so I did too! I’m feeling much better today, lol.
Jenn – I got a few strange looks while I was stuffing my basket full of the dogs. And the cashier cracked up when he saw me.
Michelle – I bought every single one they had — 42 altogether!
Cole – someone better get those dogs fixed and stat!
Leesha – we’re going to cover her and her bed in the dogs tonight, after she goes to sleep, and try to get up before she does tomorrow morning so we can hear her exclamations. 
Adelyn – see? Leashes aren’t bad.
Veronica – that’s terrible! I’m glad that it was a decent person that found the little boy and brought him to you. I remember the lockdowns at Targets and the code going out on the walkies… poor kids. :/ That’s really sad that the family didn’t seem to give a crap. Makes me feel better for going bananas if Alyssa wanders away for .2 seconds. I might be overreacting, but damn, at least I’m showing some concern!
, on February 2 2008 at 12:37pm:
Its hard enough for me to rangle my two kids into and out of daycare. I remember once we were grocery shopping and normally Carl and Chelsea do the shopping while I chase Crystal up and down the isles. Well this one particular day Chelsea decided she wanted to get down out of the cart, and Carl let her down and expected me to chase after BOTH of them.
When I do go out by myself with the kids its only for stuff we absolutely need, that way I can fit it in the basket on my stroller. and not have to worry about chasing kids or who gets to be carried or who sits where. They both sit in the stroller. End of Story.
, on February 2 2008 at 6:02pm:
Cute, cute dogs. What will you do with all those?
Had to comment, though, in re: Veronica’s comment.
I am a teacher, and today I was talking to a custodian in the school ~custodians are always the most understanding and common-sensical folks in the school, btw~ because i was LIVID that I was now having to call an administrator to deal with a student ~something I try to avoid doing; it’s best to handle things yourself~ and he said he would call the parent for a conference on tuesday, which is great, but I’ve already contacted guidance and scheduled a conference with mom, but she didn’t show. I am *really* worried about this kid, and, apparently, she is not.
She probably is, but she doesn’t realize it’s as serious as it is. Still, if she had to cancel the conference she should have re-scheduled. I should be writing HER up, suspending HER. He’s going to be in out of school suspension Tuesday. Great. Another day unsupervised, and out of the classroom.
A little off topic, but I knew Jenn would understand~!
As the domain name suggests, my name is Jenn, and I own this blog. I'm 26 years old and married to my one true ♥, Daniel. And while I have two kids (Alyssa is five, and Ryan is three), you won't find "mommy" in my username or email address, nor does my blog revolve around them. I'm a mother, but most importantly I am me, with a passion for love, blogging, reading, and photography. I'm also a busy freelance writer, web designer & SEO goddess, and a blogger relations person for an adult toy company.
I just noticed that my sidebar is going beneath the entry when there are no comments on said entry. Sigh. What gives?? Someone care to take a peek? I have too much of a headache to do it myself.