The Seventh Level Of Grocery Shopping Hell

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Well folks, today was a day! I went to the grocery store with my two boys and I bet you can guess how this went?!?

Let me give you a hint. I had to give two time outs inside the store and one outside, and I am now having a glass of wine!

Things started off so well and I really thought I was in for a treat. My oldest was helping me grab and bag fresh fruit and my toddler was actually sitting in the cart. Yes, I will repeat that... I said he was SITTING IN THE CART! I could hardly believe it myself.

We made it through the fruit and veggies and even through the snack cracker aisle before things got bad. It was right around the potatoes that Gabriel started to pick at Hayden and push his hands off the cart. Hayden was still being good and sitting there fairly quiet.

I was very upset with Gabe because he is the older brother and he knew good and well what he was doing was making Hayden mad, for no reason, and it was about to erupt into something bigger! I gave him a warning and went on to get my onions.

There he goes again! "That is it!", I firmly told him. I am determined to have at least one successful grocery store trip before I die. I promptly put him in time out next to the onion bin as I continued to put my onions in a plastic sack and ignore his muttering of words.

Off we go to quickly finish the rest of the shopping. We were OK through the baking aisle and even the cereal. Now, onto the bulk food section. Here we go again. Now they are both at it. They want to help bag up the bulk granola. It is a fine thing to help mom, except this is not really something I can have help with. Gabe was somewhat understanding, but Hayden not so much! I knew it was only a matter of time and he would reach his breaking point and I would be carrying him with $200 worth of food in the cart to push one handed.

About ten minutes pass and now we are onto the frozen pizza aisle. I thought I would treat them to pizza for lunch (mind you, they both fed the pizza to the dogs). Gabe started to jump around on the cart and was speaking extremely loud. I was calm and asked him to stop. He flipped out when he seen toaster strudels and put three in the cart. I asked him to put two back. He refused and called me a "pee head". Time out in the frozen foods section! He whined he was cold, but I said tough. It was only for a few minutes.

We finally made it out of the store and what do you know... Gabe pinched Hayden right before we reached the car. Time out on the curb! All I could think about at this point is what all the other people were thinking and why my kids are doing this to me. They can be sooo good or sooo bad!

Finally, we get all loaded and are off to home! Whewwww... That was an experience!