Grocery Store Grumps

The above picture pretty much summarized our trip to the grocery store today. I know it's hard to imagine these sweet little boys being anything less then perfect angels but our shopping experience today was definately a challenge. First of all grocery shopping is just not my favorite thing to do with the boys anyway. I try to go to Fareway since it's cheaper but sometimes I have to go to Hy-Vee when I know I need something that Fareway is not going to have. Multiple stops is not a good option with a 3 year old and a 15 month old so we ended up at Hy_vee today. Gabe was very happy about this as he loves the carts that are race cars, firetrucks, school buses, etc. He likes that they have steering wheels and he can "drive" them. Ty usually enjoys this option too as he loves to use the steering wheels as well. I should have known our trip was not going to be pleasant when Ty fell asleep from our house to the store(it is not far at all). When we got to the store it was lunch time so I got a regular cart and wheeled the boys into the deli side so we could eat some lunch. We stop first at the chinese counter for some sesame chicken for Gabe. We get it and I put it in our cart and tell Gabe to be very careful where he moves now since we have food in the back of our cart. He then not even 2 seconds after I say it proceeds to knock my purse directly into his sesame chicken. Oh-well we wheel over to pay and get our drinks and salad bar and there is a huge line, in the mean time Ty spys the food on the salad bar and proceeds to have a red-headed moment, in this case screaming as loud as he can to let his impatience and hunger be known. Finally we get to the front of the line and I get cups for our drinks which Gabe proceeds to pick up and snoz all over(he has a runny nose and a real fetish with putting everything in or by his mouth) The lovely older lady running the check out then starts talking to Ty and Gabe, Oh what's the matter little guy, are you hungry, what do you like to eat, your a big boy, etc. etc. etc. I have no problem with people talking to my kids but when there is a huge line waiting behind us and I have a one year old screaming in my cart it is not the time to carry on a conversation. Finally we maneuver away and go through the salad bar to get my and Ty's lunch. Ty in the meantime gets super hungry since we are right next to the food and I practically have to hold him down to keep him in the cart seat and not jumping out onto the salad bar. We get our food get to a table, get Ty in his highchair with his milk and I go and get Gabe's and my drink. Lunch went pretty smoothly until Ty decided he had had enough and was no longer going to sit in the highchair. Once again red headed moment ensues. We finish go out and get the blue car with two steering wheels and our grocery adventure begins. We do pretty well for the first part or our list but then about half way through Ty decides to start to stand up in the cart and stick his head out the window, I sit him back down several times and then Gabe decides to grab Ty's steering wheel. Ty does not like this, you probably know what he does. This happens a few times. Ty apparently is tired of Gabe touching his steering wheel so he decides to pull Gabe's hair. This is not an uncommon occurrence either, Ty is a hair puller, he even pulls his own, I don't get it but he does it. So Gabe screams of course and I bend down and and take care of the situation. We continue on and Ty decides it is time to try out his wrestling moves in the shopping cart. He pretty much dives on top of Gabe as we are walking past the eggs, I see an older lady look into my cart with a look of disdain on her face and say and I quote "Oh he's a little devil" Not with a smile or look of encouragement , just pure disgust that a 15 month old would be attacking his brother in a store, the nerve of some people's kids. That in itself drives me crazy, I can't imagine that there ever was a child who didn't at one time or another do something they shouldn't have in a public place, especially a toddler but I guess she must have had perfect children, maybe I should have asked her for advice. Anyway we get that straightened out and finish getting our last few items. In the bread aisle Ty decided to once again attack his brother so he was removed from his seat in the car and put into the child seat in the actual cart, this did not make him happy. We finally made our way to the check out where Ty continued to express his displeasure while I unloaded the groceries onto the belt. The older lady checking us out informed me that he must be tired and I should get him home for a nap. Hmmm that thought hadn't crossed my mind at all in the last 30 or so minutes. I thanked her and Gabe was sure to tell all the employees to have a good day on our way out and we finally got into the car. Once home the boys were promptly taken upstairs and put down for a naps. Over and over again I had to keep reminding myself of Psalm 127:3 Children are a blessing of the Lord...and then I would remember a sign a friend of ours has in her house..Lord, give me the patience to deal with my blessings, oh isn't it the truth. The great thing about kids is that they don't hold a grudge and all was soon forgiven.