On Friday, the boys and I decided we would go to the new Kroger by our house to do a little food shopping and let Jack pick out his $5 Transformer toy that he earned for getting rid of many of his old toys in the playroom the other day. When I told him he had earned a little toy, he basically fell over in excitement because since Christmas, we have a new rule in our home that toys are for holidays and birthdays and the children do not get toys for no reason anymore because it became an obsession and was expected every trip we took to the store. Jack must have asked about 1000 times when we were leaving so he could pick out his new toy, which I explained that he was only allowed 1 toy that was no more than $5. He agreed and thanked me over and over again for this special occassion. So we were off...this was going to be great!! Jack was going to get a new toy and be thrilled that he was allowed one even though it was not his birthday yet and be thankful beyond belief and Nolie would be happier than a pig in poop because he could ride in the new car shopping carts that had a steering wheel that wasn't ripped out or broken yet and a tv as well inside with some kids shows.Well things took a turn for the worse...
We start off at the toy aisle, where Jack is already going for the $30 toys and I continue to show him the few items that he can pick from. He finally decided he is going to take all 5 of the Transformers in the shopping cart and make an educated decision while we are food shopping. About 5 minutes into food shopping, he begins to harrass me about getting 2 instead of 1 and has a long explanation why they need to be purchased together. He goes on and on how they are brothers and cannot be seperated or else they will be sad like he would be if Nolie wasn't with him. Persuasive, yes but I was sticking to my guns on this one. Jack can convince anyone of anything but I needed to remember that I laid down the rules and he should be happy with 1 and understand that one is better than one. For the next 40 minutes, he is still asking for both no matter how many times I have told him not to bother asking me again because the answer is no. I explained being greedy and how he was taking advantage of the situation. At the same time this is all going on, Nolie is trying to escape from the locked doors of the car shopping cart. He is kicking the doors open, sticking his hand out a slot that is the size of half his fist and jiggling the handle so it will pop open. I decide food shopping is over and we begin to head to the register. I give Jack full warning to choose 1 or else we are not getting any. So who would have guessed, I get on the line that the cashier looks at me like he doesn't no where he is or what he is doing. The lady that was in front of me looks back at me with a face that clearly was saying, "Get off the line if you know what's best for you". Well of course I don't and I unload my shopping cart and get my coupons all ready...big mistake!! Jack now begins to flip out and begins crying because he can't decide and needs both. If anyone knows Jack, he is a loud talker and an even louder crier. I mean so loud that people from 7 registers away are looking to see if someone is being slaughtered because it is that disturbing of a cry. With a smile on my face, I bend down and talk to him and explain to him that it is a hard decision but he needs to remember how lucky he is to have earned the chance to get a toy and how many children would love to get one toy. Well the more I talk to him, the louder his cry becomes. At the same time, my cashier has begun ringing up things that I am not sure where he got some of the items. My $.84 asparagus was rung up as $4 avocadoes, 3 cookie mixes were rung up but I only had 1, my 1 onion was $3, not sure how?? Okay, so my patience is about done and I am beginning to sweat. Jack has now snuck both Transformers down the conveyor belt hoping that I am so distracted with Mr. Wonderful Cashier that I will not notice that he has ended up with 2. And Mr. Nolie, he has now figured out the whole door thing and is dangling out the door with the seatbelt around his legs and wiggling out onto the floor while ripping the bags off the counter. Jack is still flipping out and I tell him that he will not be getting any of the toys because of his behavior. I then go ahead and make the mistake of giving the cashier coupons. I should have known he has no idea how to enter coupons so he flips on the light for assistance. Is he serious??? My one kid is hanging out of the car with the seatbelt acting like a tourniquet and my other child is screaming crying so loud that I think he is hyperventilating and everyone in the store is starring at me because I have this shit-grin on my face like life was perfect at that moment. Well after the help comes for coupon assistance and to fix the 9 million mistakes, we are headed for the door. Jack now begins screaming, "I need my toy, I know which one I want, HELP!!" I tell him, "I'm sorry but you lost your privledge to get a toy so it is time now to leave". As I head to the door, he runs back down the aisle to get the toy and now I have lost it. I am loudly calling his name and telling him to get back here immediately or else he will loose marbles for this unacceptable behavior. He comes back and is literally uncontrollably sobbing and screaming crying. We begin walking to the car in the pouring rain and the whole walk to the car, I am explaining how upset and embarrassed I am of his behavior etc. By the time we get in the car, he is trying to get control of himself enough to say how sorry he is and he knows how wrong it was. To be honest, I was shell-shocked. We go to the grocery store almost every other day for something and my kiddos are great. THey are so used to going with me on all my errands and they really never have behavior issues, especially Jack. I was literally exhausted!! By the time I get home, I begin to unpack and what do I find, the poor lady before me on line's coldcuts. Obviously, my fabulous cashier forgot to give them to her and I now was the lucky recipient of about $25 worth of coldcuts. Normally I would have went back immediately and returned them but even if I knew that a reward of $1000 would be given to me, I do not think I could step foot back in that store that day!! So, does anyone want to go food shopping with me next week??? I promise it will be a great experience.
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