He was THAT kid...

(oops! From Jan 11 - forgot to post!)

We have all seen it - and most of us have stared. That kid in the store. The kid who is wailing and crying. The kid who you KNOW cannot be consoled. The kid that makes you remember to take your birth control. The kid that childless people whisper about, and other moms look at with a more knowing look. Today, the store was Super Target, and the kid, was mine....almost.

Daniel gets burned out after 4:30. He just wants to go home, play with his toys, eat, and sleep. I avoid errands on weeknights, because I know it will take endless energy on my part to make it a pleasant trip. Today I weighed the odds - do I take him to the store to get the milk (not a drop in the house) or do I roll the dice and try and put him to bed with Tang...You'd think it would be a no-brainer. Get the milk. BUT, Daniel woke up an hour early, was testy at daycare, and still had his diaper in a knot even after a 3 hour nap.

Starts off well - princess parking near the front. Holding hands to cross the parking lot. We had just hit the entry way when he asks for "Keh-Uh". Keh-Uh, is his beloved, disease-ridden stuffed monkey. Keh-uh doesn't usually go in to the store, because he only goes to daycare now for nap.

I explained that "keh-uh" was in the car, and he could have him after we got milk. He asked again, and again, but before I could say "no", he started to fly off the handle. I thought about going back, but we have been working to stop the tantrums he uses to try and get his way. It would have been an easy walk back to the car, but my desire for consistency on the tantrum issue won out. I dragged him out of the doorway, and back outside. I talked - he listened. He processed the info, then decided to cry and scream about it. There we stood, working it out, crying and screaming, outside of target. I was in the mommy-zone! I hear from behind me "good job mom!". I look up and some woman gives me the thumbs up. It took almost five minutes, but he dried up his tears, apologized to me, gave a kiss, and took my hand to proceed.

I was proud of myself for 1) getting him in the door and 2) staying calm and being cheerful with him after his little spell. He goes to investigate the motorized cart, and goes back into Gremlin mode when he is told no. Deep breath. This time, we found a nice little naughty corner by the oranges.

Making our way to the milk was no easy task. We made it up to the checkout line, when a nice woman with limited english tries to tell me my 'daughter' has stopped crying because I am no longer making 'her' stand out in the cold. Thanks lady-great insight. Then, in line the person who threw out the 'good job mom' went passed us. She smiled and waived, and said "you have to pick your battles, and win them when you do, right?" I just smiled and thought to myself how true that is.

The nice cashier gave me my stuff in two bags, so Daniel could carry one (which made him soooo happy!). We are walking out, hand in hand, with Daniel swinging his little bag, ear to ear smile. I guess we were the center of attention that day, because a third person stopped us on the way out - "He is so cute! I can't believe his so happy now after all that yelling by the oranges. Whatever you said it must have worked." I thanked her, and told Daniel to wave bye bye to her, and he obliged.

I left feeling sort of happy. How did these strangers know that I needed their words today? I don't live in a small-town - people will rarely even hold a door for you, let alone speak to you. Somehow though, my random stranger support group made my day :-) Maybe they knew that one dirty look would have redirected my mom-discipline into "Real Housewives of Atlanta" rage towards them....