I have LIVED to tell the tale!!!
Yes, that's right, I took the girls grocery shopping.
Now that may not sound like such a big deal, but it's hard. And something that I don't usually do. Normally I try to time my grocery trips so that Hubs can watch the girls and I can go by myself. But today, well... today I just got a little bit crazy and decided to give it a whirl.
In case you don't have kids or only have one, here's my little breakdown of what such an adventure involves.
First, I folded up my deluxe double stroller and loaded it into the car. I don't have one of those really cool lightweight ones that fold up like an umbrella. No, mine weighs about 35 lbs. and is about as convenient as brushing your teeth without your hands. But I've been living with it for 2 years now and at this point I'm not willing to spend money on a better one.
Next I go get my kids. One has no pants on and the other has a poopy diaper. So it takes a few minutes to get everyone clean and presentable. I grab one kid to load into the car while the other watches TV. I take the first kid and strap her into her car seat, close and lock the door, while I rush to go get the other one. Turn off the TV, thankfully this one still has her pants on, and I take and load her into the car.
I do a mental check to make sure I have everything, including my brain, that's always a good thing. Thankfully I have everything I need including my earth friendly shopping bags. So I put myself in the car, slam the door, and WHEW! Am I sweating already? Just a little bit, hopefully no one will notice.
So off to the store we go! At this point I'm feeling very proud of myself for even considering this. I've taken the girls to the store before, but always to just grab a thing or two. Today I'm doing the big weekly trip, which means I'll have to get a cart while pushing the stroller... man... why am I doing this? Should I turn around and go back home and forget this ever happened? Stay calm, Amy. You can DO this!!!
In addition to the little pep talk I give myself, I also say a little prayer, "Please God, let this go easier than I expect! Let there be nice people who make room for me and my cart + stroller. AMEN!"
What I'm really hoping for is a store employee to come along with me to do my shopping. Why don't they offer that kind of service??? I'm sure there are other people who would use it.
I pull into the parking lot. Get out the stroller. One child has apparently learned how to work her arms out of the straps. Oh great! I tell her no-no while pointing to her straps and then get her out and load her into the stroller. Then I wheel around to the other side of the vehicle and get out the other kid and put her in too. Shut the doors. Oh wait, the bags! Open the doors, get the bags, shut the doors, set the alarm. Am I sweating again? Dang it! Well hopefully it's just a rosey glow.
Into the store we go! At least it's cooler in here. I pick a cart and pray it's fully functional. With one arm I push the stroller, and with the other I pull the cart behind me. Right off the bat an employee says, "Hey, that looks like WORK!" I say, "Psh, it ain't nothin'!" But what I'm really thinking is, "Yeah, it is, wanna give me a hand?!?"
It takes me a while to figure out how to navigate the stroller, which really needs two hands to stay on course. Finally I figure out that if I use my right arm, and push it with my entire forearm I can push with my hand to turn right, and my elbow to turn left. I get lots of strange looks. Oh well.
On my way out another stranger comments, "Wow! You're a pro!" I say, "It takes practice."
At the check out the lady asks if I'd like help out to my car, "YES!!!"
It took me 3 hours, usually it takes me 2 so that's really not too bad. I'm not sure that I'll repeat this event again anytime soon. Not unless I'm bored and have a lot of energy that I need to expend. But it IS possible, and I CAN do it, and that makes me feel like I climbed Mt. Everest today.
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11 comments:
I don't know how you did it! I can barely do it alone!
Good job, Amy. I don't do that alone.
That does sound hard! I don't know how you did it. My grocery store has a few carts that look like cars, and they seat two kids. They are not easy to push, but probably easier than a cart and a stroller... of course, the kids can also reach each other which adds another element to the experience.
{{clap, clap}} Great job! It is hard to do it, that's why I too wait until DH is home. But once in awhile, I do. You did a great job.
wow - you are flippin amazing!
I'm SO proud of you!! I used to do it a lot when my twins were at that age... now my DH has a better schedule and I either do it when he's home or when the girls are at school.
I don't know why I didn't think of the stroller?? I used to use two carts... one backward one forward. Sunshine in the back of one cart. Noone ever helped me either... go figure! It was fun I tell ya!!! Thanks for bringing back the memories :)
Oh no Christa... those cars are a nightmare for twins!!!! Trust me!!! OK... for my twins anyway :)
Good for you! Its not fun to take kids to the store but sometimes it just has to be done.
OH MY GOODNESS!! I could have written that post, down to the ridiculous heavy stroller pushed with one forearm and the reusable grocery bags! Every word I was thinking "yep. that's exactly how it is. yep. She's got that right. Yep." The few times I've done this with my three, it's been my biggest accomplishment of the month. And usually I'm sweating buckets! HA! Good for you! You inspire me to try it more often.
Elle
Yeah Amy!!! Good for you! Isn't it such an empowering feeling when you do something like that??!! I remember the first time I took all 4 kids grocery shopping with me and being scared to death but I got through it and now it's no big deal at all.
You'll find, too, that as the girls get older, it'll be much easier. When I could ditch the stroller and put 2 in the grocery cart and have the other 2 walk next to me, it really made things easier!!!
Amy, are you doing OK?
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