Shopping with a 2 year old

Two nights ago Bruce was at school and I decided I would go to Toys R Us with the kids after dinner to pick up Luke's Christmas gift from Grandma and Grandpa Thomson. The whole evening was rather eventful and memorable at the same time.

I got the kids in the mini van and as I was driving I forgot that is was voting day and I needed to get to the polls before 8pm. So I went home to get our double stroller to be able to take the kids in with me. ( If I left them in the car to vote I am sure I would have received a visit from Children's Aid by now). So there is never a line up at the voting polls in LaSalle but there was this time. Of course, when I have 2 active children with me. Luke decided he wanted out of the stroller but I didn't let him due to the amount of people in one room (who were already up in arms about having to wait in a line to have their turn to vote). Luke decides to kick Allison and get rather restless. So I sat on the floor with the kids in the middle of the line up and starting singing a song Luke learned at his library class called "Sticky Sticky Bubble gum". Everyone was watching and laughing, but what are you to do as a mother of two in a line up waiting to vote? Sing with your kids of course. What is more important? Letting your kids have a fit or having fun with them? I chose having fun with them and enjoyed them instead of getting mad at them for being inpatient and making a scene. Needless to say I did vote half an hour later. Luke was thrilled to see what he calls our "Brown Van".

After voting we headed off to Toys R Us. Luke loved seeing all the night lights as we were driving there. We got to Toys R Us and picked up Luke's Christmas gift (which was on sale, that is why we had to get there this week) We were in the Thomas the Train area of the store where I was picking up Luke's train set and as I was looking to make sure I had the correct set. So Luke decides he wants all the wooden trains on the shelf in the back of the shopping cart with him. So he was laughing away piling the wooden train cars into the basket with him. When I finally realized what was going on Luke has to have at least 30-40 trains in the cart with him. He was happily naming all the different trains from Thomas. So all I hear is Toby, James, Thomas, Diesel, Percy........you get the point!

Ater we got all the trains back on the store shelf (with Luke crying and screaming wanting to take them home) we finally got the cashier once I picked up a few other items. There was an issue with some other items I bought and some Thomas stuff I had bought was damaged so I was asking for a lower price. Well..................it took Toys R Us about half an hour to 45 mintues to fix this situation. In the meantime while we were waiting Luke topples over the gift card rack by the cashier, plays with another cash register behind him and opens the cash drawer, decides he only wants to play with a Thomas the Train gift card then he swipes it through the credit card/debit machine multiple times and says " Just like Mommy, Just like Mommy does".
Needless to say I was a lttle frustrated with Luke but trying to remember what is like to be a 2 year old waiting for Mommy to hurry up! The customer service rep. who was trying to help us finally started giving Luke and Allison free toys to keep them busy. Allison loved that, but Luke said "NO" to the toy offered to him and said he just wanted the Thomas the Train gift card. So after awhile we just started singing the Bubble Gum song again and that seemed to help calm Luke down a bit. It is surprizing what you do as a parent to entertain your kids in public.

Finally everything was resolved and I told Luke he had to give the gift card back to the lady so we could go home. So Luke yells at the top of his lungs " HEY LADY TURN AROUND" (she had her back to us) She did not hear Luke so Luke yelled again "HEY LADY" (Luke calls all cashiers Lady) So finally the girl turned around and told Luke he could take the Thomas the Train gift card home with him. Luke was thrilled! He said "Thank you LADY" and we were on our way. Priase the Lord! I was never so excited to get out of a store in my entire life (up to this point anyways.)
I think I will have permanet sweat marks on the shirt I was wearing that day in the armpits due to the stress and frustration from Luke and Toys R Us! By the time I got home and put the kids to bed I was totally and utterly exhausted!

The conclusion I came to was that kids are worth it! Luke would have rather been at home playing with his toys and having fun then going to vote and sitting in the back of a shopping cart for 1 hour.
I want to thank my parents for being patient with me when I was a kid. I know my Mom had many a shopping trip with great adventures with us kids. Kids are great fun and a challenge at times, and they are totally worth it!