Wal*Mart

I have been getting brave lately, taking both kids out by myself to places like Target, Walmart, Babies R Us, and Chick-fil-A. Yesterday was exceptional, I was out of the house before BRU even opened, so I took a detour to Target to spend a gift card. Caleb was wonderful in Target, and Carly slept a bit, so off to BRU we went. It helped that I convinced Caleb that Target was cool b/c it is the "Red Store" and BRU is the "Purple Store." Since he's really into colors lately, it works. Anyway, BRU was a success, and then Carly got hacked for want of a bottle, so I threw them in the car to run home for lunch, but then the essence of Chick-fil-A lured me in. SO, I did the toddler, baby seat AND tray of chicken and made it to a booth, gave Carly her bottle while Caleb ate/played on the other booth seat, and I actually got to have some lunch too. A wild success, and a huge confidence booster.

But that is not the point of my story.

Today I said to myself, "I am really good at this, so I'll just make a quick trip to WalMart, no biggie." It started off normal and good, Carly had a little carseat nap, and Caleb was riding in the basket like a good boy. Carly woke up in the shampoo aisle and Caleb decided he needed to poke her in the eye and wrench her head back and forth. So he got a hand-slap and a sad spoon threat. That worked. So off we go to the grocery section, and I started strategically placing groceries in the basket around Carly's seat. (Imagine, the infant car seat in the basket and Caleb riding in the front-- makes for a pretty full basket before we even started.) Halfway down my list, Carly is ready for her bottle, which, since I am soooo good at this, is in my purse, ready for her. I knew this would happen, because it always does, she wouldn't hold her bottle herself. I am not sure she can yet anyway, so no biggie. I use one hand to keep the bottle in, while steering the basket with my other hand across my body, from the side, making for a very wide load. I've done that before too, and am not even embarassed about how silly I look. On and on we go, adding things, making the basket heavier, harder for my wimpy self to steer, while Carly drinks her bottle rather leisurely. It's okay, I'm not in a hurry. Yet. Almost done, and Caleb has lost his sticker (some random lady gave him a flag sticker a few aisles back) so I start looking around in the basket for his sticker. No luck, oh well, it's gone, we'll get another one later. Goodbye sticker. Now, where did my list go? Ehhh, we're almost done, I can remember it all. Goodbye list. Caleb then starts whining about his tummy hurts. Mamaaaaa. Tummmmmy. whine whine cry cry. We're almost done, just hang on a little longer. I head to the checkout, while Carly has (finally!) finished her bottle, and is very angry about it. Caleb is also whining louder. I have a hunger pang, so I wonder, maybe his tummy hurts because he's hungry, it is almost lunch time. So while we wait in line, I open a bag of marshmellows and let him have a couple. It calmed him down a bit, so I tend to Carly who is really cranking it up now. I start unloading the groceries onto the belt thingie, and work my way around the carseat. Then I noticed a puddle on the floor behind the basket. Confused, because it was not there before (I would have had to walk through it) I start wondering. Did he throw up? Is his tummy really upset and the marshmellows made him puke? No, it's clear liquid. Hmmmmmm. Then the realization hits me... the diaper leaked? that much? You have GOT to be kidding me. (all the while Carly is still screaming bloddy murder). Sure enough, Caleb's shorts are wet, and it's a good thing his shoes are under the basket (another one-handed grocery store escapade) or they would be wet too, I guess. Now I'm embarassed. There is another shopper behind me in line, so I went to the checker and told her my son had an accident and there is a puddle on the floor. I figured she'd call maintenance or a janitor, but she just grabbed a spray bottle and paper towels and cleaned it up herself. With a smile, no less! While she did that I caved and got Carly out of her seat, and of course, she starts smiling. So, out to the car we go, after bagging up $118 of groceries. (quick trip, har har) Get the cart unloaded into the trunk, one-handed since there is a baby on my hip and her seat is now full of grocery bags, get the baby strapped back in, oops, forgot to put the bottled water on the bottom, oh well, stick it in the front seat. That just leaves Caleb, the sopping wet toddler who is sitting very quietly since his little accident. Embarassed I'm sure, although I did not scold him or call any attention to him to cause embarassment. The closer look reveals his shirt is soaking wet too, so I grabbed a diaper and stripped him down in the WalMart parking lot, put a dry diaper on him, and strapped him in naked. I am now one of those moms who puts naked kids in the car. Stow the basket, shut the trunk, get in the car..... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... we made it. I did it! Although, I will probably never do it again. Ever. My confidence balloon is busted in a million pieces, and I left it in the checkout lane with the puddle of pee.

This situation raises a question in my mind.... how can one child pee that much!? I mean, really!! It's not like we were there five hours! I always knew he was a super pee-er.