The Crazy Mom's Club

　

Well, I’ve officially joined the crazy moms group. Yesterday and today included a trip to the store. Anyone who knows Eliza knows how well she does sitting still, but I thought I had figured out a way for her to “enjoy” shopping. Our store has one of those “car” carts. You know the ones that are annoyingly large and hard to steer. Well, she loves riding in it and it seems to keep her entertained so I just go with it. Just as I started figuring a way to keep her entertained during shopping my adorable little man decides he doesn’t want to sit still anymore either. Let me tell you that looks can be deceiving. He might seem all sweet and innocent, but he can put up a good fight! He is small enough to wiggle out of the seat strap and stand up backwards in any cart I put him in, and he’s too small to sit in the back of the cart.

So there is a great picture for you. One wild little girl honking her horn and sticking her head out of the car talking to everyone we pass. (Well more like yelling at) Then a sweet little boy standing up with me holding on to his shirt so he doesn’t jump out of the cart. Hilarious isn’t it?

Today at Target I wanted to get the kids some new spring clothes since it’s going to be near 80 all week and they have next to nothing to wear. Eliza “sits” in the back of the cart and Jackson “sits” in the front. Our trip today included trying on sandals for both the kids and Eliza taking the sticker off of every single piece of clothing I put in the cart. By the checkout line she had 3T, 4T, and 18month stickers all over herself and Jackson, it was actually pretty funny. The clerks face was even funnier when Eliza asked for a Target sticker. I don’t think she had a free spot to put it. By the end of the trip I was so worn out.

I think maybe I should bring a camera to the store with me from now on. The looks we get are priceless. They vary from the pity look to the can’t you control your kids look. Today I even had one sympathetic older woman say “Oh yeah, been there” with a huge smile on her face. I’m sure she’s thinking thank God they grow up!

Most of the time this craziness doesn’t really bother me. It’s just another fun thing I get to do with my kids during the day. I enjoy seeing them laugh and enjoy themselves during a time that I find no fun either. We don’t bother any other shoppers normally and most of the time we are bringing smiles to the faces of all the passer-bys. I like to think that my kids bring joy to random strangers faces. Of course I have my days as well, where I just want to get in and out without wrestling like we’re on Monday Night Raw. (I think that’s the name of that fake wrestling show??)

I keep telling myself to let the kids be kids. It’s a hard balancing act though. I want them to love life and enjoy every single day, but I want them to be well-behaved and good kids too. Most days I feel like all I’m doing is saying no and spanking bottoms trying to teach them lessons. I love the fun days though, even when it wears me out. I figure if Jesus Christ was walking through the store and saw us he’d be smiling too. So maybe all those strangers’ smiles are a sign from God that I’m doing something right? Or maybe that’s God’s way of laughing at the crazy mom too?

Any other mom's out there a part of the Crazy Mom Club? Is there any hope to one day get out of this club or is it a lifetime membership?