Shopping for Dummies

Well, I tried a not so fun game today I'd like to call, "Shopping for Dummies", in which I am the dummy! I decided that today would be a GREAT day to go to Sears and Target to try on shoes and look at fall dresses and clothes for Laura. Sears went pretty well, actually, except when Laura ran away from me in the Misses' section and decided she wasn't going to leave when it was time to leave. Thankfully there were only like five people in Sears at the time, so we didn't disturb anyone. When we left Sears, which happens to be right across from our house, I thought we might as well go to Target since we are already out and everyone is relatively happy. WRONG! Bad plan, Kara. The first thing Laura wanted to do was carry her favorite stuffed animal, Biscuit, into the store. Dummy Tip #1: NEVER allow a four year old to carry her favorite toy in the store and expect her to keep up with it! I decided to put Lindy in the stroller rather than using a shopping cart because she tends to do better that way. And normally Laura asks to walk rather than being put in the shopping cart. Well, the second we walked in the store Laura announced to me that she was sooooo tired and needed to get in a cart and lie down. Dummy Tip #2: When told this by the four year old, turn around a leave because your Target shopping experience is going to be less than happy. I told her simply that we were going to get the things on the list and that she would be just fine and could sleep in the car on the way home. So she moaned and groaned and tried to climb in the stroller with Lindy as we walked in. I had promised her Sonic as a treat for lunch, so I threatened to take that away if she didn't act like a big girl. Dummy Tip #3: When taking away a treat or privilege, don't threaten to take away something that will be a treat for you, too. The first bit of shopping, other than the moaning from Laura, wasn't actually all that bad. We looked at shoes and found a few of the things I needed to get. It was when we got to the grocery aisle things turned south. I needed some Instant Breakfast and as I reached for it I heard a crash, and this from Laura: "Wow! It's like dominoes!" Dummy Tip #4: Leave. Leave now! Don't get the rest of the stuff on your list. Leave. I turned around and saw about six cereal boxes on the floor that we set up again without too much trouble. But I was determined to get the stuff on my list and it was now a battle between the smart Kara and the Dummy. The Dummy won. And all I could think about was rewarding myself with Sonic once all this was over. By this time, which was only about 25 minutes from entering the store, Lindy was screaming. So I picked her up and Laura climbed in the stroller straightaway. Okay, at least they are both contained. But Laura has quite a range of reaching from a moving stroller. Hadn't thought about that. After knocking over several cheese graters and a salt shaker, I decided it was prudent to go ahead and go. But I'd forgotten the milk. We went back to get that and got to the car successfully. I got Lindy in the car seat and buckled and Laura says, "Where's Biscuit?" You remember Biscuit, right? The stuffed cat from Dummy Tip #1? Yeah. She's missing in action. So we all get back out of the car, Lindy screaming in the car seat, and go back in Target. We walked all over the store to the places we'd visited. No Biscuit. Lindy was asleep, though, nice timing huh? In the end we couldn't find Biscuit, but I did leave my information with the girl at the customer service desk, who was very friendly and sympathetic, and if Biscuit is found, she'll call me. This is going to be a good life lesson for Laura, I think. As much as I hate for her to have lost Biscuit, I think this will help emphasize my point when I don't give in and let her take things inside stores that are a bazillion square feet and have at least that many items to choose from. Places little stuffed kitties can get lost and overlooked so easily. Anyway, she fell asleep in the car on the way to Sonic and the milk was still good by the time we got back to the car. And all is well. I must say that was the best Sonic hamburger I think I've ever had! :) I should have gotten myself an ice cream. Oh well. Tomorrow starts a huge consignment sale at a school near our church down the street from my house. I have a different plan for shopping there: Call Grandma! Happy Thursday!

Added Thursday night: We got the call from Target. Biscuit was indeed found and will be waiting my arrival at Target in the morning. Yay!