That mom

Yep, that's me...  that mom. 

 You know, the one that you see at the Gap with her kids running circle through the rounders.  The one whose child gets lost at the grocery store and who I am constantly telling them not to touch and look only with their eyes.  

That's me because it has to be.  

There are days where I wonder what the he** I am doing taking my kids out.  Why would I subject myself to such mayhem?  The answer is two fold.  One is simply selfish, because it is what I need.  I spend my days driving kids to and from school, soccer practice, baseball games and T ball, is it too much to ask them to do one thing I want/need to do.  Unfortunately, the answer is always yes after the fact.  I leave feeling defeated.  They win, they always do.

Secondly, I feel as though it is my job as a parent to teach them good behavior in public.  I go in with good intentions.  I go in thinking, this one time they are going to be good.  WRONG.  Nope, instead there is Graham, pulling the retractable line divider out and letting it go only to smack another kid in the face (yep, he totally did that), and there is Alex tipping over the entire stroller, baby and all, because he is too busy whining to pay attention to what he is doing.  

Awesome. 

Now, not only am I defeated because I haven't gotten to do the things that I wanted to do, but also because apparently I am failing as a parent, completely unable to control my kids for a mere 10 minute jaunt through the store.   Thank goodness for Evie.  She is very good at distracting fellow shopper with her big blue eyes and toothy little grin, so they don't notice the menaces dodging in and out all around us.

This too shall pass, they all say.

I suppose it's true.

Trouble 1 and Trouble 2