I DO NOT, I repeat, I DO NOT give our kids caffeine. I am not judging anyone who does - it is not any of my business. But when you have three kids who are as active as mine - you DO NOT give them caffeine.
So, how then do I know that kids and caffeine don't mix?
It's Monday - Target Day. (Yes, that is in capitals like it is a holiday - when you have three kids our ages - getting out the door and successfully doing anything like a "quick" Target run is something to celebrate).
Like usual - I have the list in order of the store set up. I have the coupons already paper clipped to the list and I have a surplus of snacks loaded in the bag.
After scrubbing down THE mother load cart and loading the twins - I realize that the cart we choose (only because it was in the parking lot) had a broken seat belt strap... so I hold Addie and leave Matt and Noah in the cart, push it awkwardly into the store and repeat steps necessary for sanitation of a new cart. I manage a semi-successful transfer and off we go.
If I am lucky - I can stretch the Target run into a blissful hour of cruising through the store at a speed that tricks Matt and Addie into believing that we are in constant motion - yet slow enough for me to gaze at all the items I could convince myself that we NEED.
As usual - stretching the trip means that the last few isles on the list are at a break-neck speed as to avoid a meltdown. You know you are in trouble when the BEST snacks are being pitched...
We approach the checkout and I instantly feel sorry for the nice older man who has asked if he could assist us today. I make a joke and he says - "I had 8 kids of my own - there isn't anything they could do in line that would bother me."
I am NEVER shopping another Target. I make a mental note to always look for his line on Mondays.
I promise - we are getting to the caffeine part.
So, I am masterfully putting items on the belt, mentally making a note if there was a coupon that was to go with it and handing snacks to Matt and Addie who are facing me in the jump seats. I am reaching over Noah who has his back to me as he is in the cart seat kind of listening to his jabber.
A couple of times I hear,
"Mommy. Mommeeee."
I didn't really pay attention to the question that followed. I was now almost in panic mode. I could feel the stress level rising and the sweat starting to bead as I am trying to avoid the meltdown. With twins - you never know who could blow but we are almost always guaranteed a sympathy cry from the one who didn't originally melt.
Before you know it, I am finished paying and loading the cart. I reach over and tousle Noah's hair and comment on how proud I am of how good he is being. He didn't even ask for the toy whale that I got suckered into buying... should have been a RED flag.
I start out the doors pulling the cart from the end. Noah spots two policemen and says,
"Thanks for keeping us safe."
Something we say in the car when we pass them on the road.
My heart melts and after a few seconds of talking to the police "guys" I go around to the front of the cart to continue out.
AND... that is when I notice that Noah has my "bubble drink" (AKA - Diet Coke) in his lap.
Oh No!
It is EMPTY... I know I had not had much of it because who can take three kids with the monster cart into a Target bathroom? I have to pace myself - usually enjoying a majority of it on the way home as a sort of celebration of a successful (or completed) trip.
I laughed it off and thought in the future I should make sure I listen to what he is asking AND answer...
It wasn't so funny this afternoon when his nap time became a jumping, talking, singing, playing fest in his room. I guess I can't complain - he still took a 1 hour quiet time - it just wasn't so quiet.
It was another one of those - Practice What You Preach - moments... I am always telling Noah to listen and pay attention. Guess I should take heed of my own advise.
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