Who's Losing Who?

Is it him or is it me? Sometimes, in the whirlwind of it all, I'm not certain... tonight, I'm pretty sure it was him!

Boys and shopping just don't mix. One might argue that kids and shopping just don't mix. And on one hand, that's true. But girls seem to tolerate it much better than boys... at least boys Jeremy's age.....and energy.

Although the shopping trips have been increasingly becoming harder (thank goodness I don't do most of them), the last two I did on Thursday nights (while Gabi was at dance) have been a nightmare. Maybe it's the time of day.... maybe it's just that shopping really is that boring.... maybe it's the fact that boys NEVER stop running.....

Whatever it may be, he's found it great fun to play chase. Well, that wasn't tonight... that was a couple of weeks ago. Laughing, yelling, giggling, and all the while with that glinty eye which twinkles with mischief one hasn't yet even thought of yet. I managed to get through it... with a lot of "displeased" eyes... and "oh, you should never have children" looks..... all the time trying to say in my head "I see... you don't remember this stage" so as not to break down and cry!

Tonight... well... I knew he was having a tough time, but he was doing well.... for Jeremy. He finally settled in on the bottom of the cart - you know, laying down on his stomach on the flat part just above the wheels UNDER the basket section. Good... he was contained... although he was running his hands out in front of the cart... so I had to push it slowly to make sure I wasn't going to "run him over" - but at least I knew where he was.... and he was content to stay!

Then, due to some store rule he has to change his little plans.....(yes, I understand.... but as a mom of little kids, I say to myself, "come on! Don't you have any idea what you're asking" when the gentle associate informs me of the rule and asks me to please have my son come out) So, out he comes... smile... glinty eyes.... trouble lurking. Thank goodness I'm checking out!

But then, out of the blue, suddenly Jeremy is gone! I'm, at first, not too terribly worried... after all, there are little shelves all around with those horrible "let's get the kids excited to annoy mom" toys that mean nothing and junk food to give them tummy aches. He usually hovers around these and then bugs me non-stop to buy all these things. But no... this time he was not there!

Glancing all around, up the little isle (sometimes he likes to creep up and wait there).... look behind me, all around me again. Then I catch another lady with a slightly concerned, but not too troubled face look from one direction and then around at all the people near by!

Not knowing what best to do with Beth and Peter, but knowing Peter was buckled and that Beth listens (most of the time)... I told her to stay with the cart and not move. I knew if anyone had tried to have her move she'd break into hysterics! (See, there's something good in having an overly sensitive child!) And then I race up forward, asking this lady who'd had the look if there was a little boy up ahead. She affirmed that... thank goodness! But I was still livid!

I yelled at him (mostly because he was two checkers away from me with back turned), pulled him back to our cart, and then throughly scolded him. He didn't seem to be getting the picture. So I slowed down and told him exactly why he had to always stay with me and where he could see me and I could see him. I explained to him what kidnapping was and how easy it is for someone to take him when I can't see him.

Unlike my girls (who take those kinds of talks very seriously... to the point that we have to let them know they don't have to dwell on the stuff), Jeremy looked mildly concerned for all of a minute (if I was lucky). Then went back to being easy going, happy-go-lucky Jeremy! The good news - he was able to repeat what I told him... at least he understands it.... and he didn't wander off again.... let's hope it never happens again!