Have you ever had that feeling that if you stepped out of your shoes at a particular moment and was the onlooker rather than being you, you would judge you as the mom-who-never-disciplines-her-kids-and-repeats-herself-one-thousand-times-in-one-minute-what-the-consequences-will-be kind of mom? I swear I would never be that mom, until today when it happened. I had to make one quick - and I mean quick - return at the mall today and had no choice but to bring the boys along. I sometimes think it is a great field trip and hope that they appreciate that there are many things to buy, but we don't buy all and often we buy none of it.
I knew I was in trouble when we walked into the mall and the boys sprinted down the shiny, newly waxed walk ways through one department store into the mall area where it became a full out race to the fountain, only to beg me for pennies to throw - which I had none. We then walk into BR to return pants and the boys decide to play hide and seek in the clothes racks as the sales person graciously grins and says "Oh, I remember those days..." and probably mumbles under her breath..."Dead beat mom who can't control her kids." but continues to smile.
As I am making my return, the boys decide to sit on the soft, leather bench - phew, I think - great, calm idea only to find that they begin to wrestle on the bench and Chase pins Landon down and sits on him. Another polite grin from another sales person, I finish my return and we leave immediately.
Next stop, Walgreens pharmacy in which the boys decide that the decibels in my voice are impossible to hear to the kid-ear. Landon ended up being punished after sitting on his brother in the massage chair and squeezing the air out of him, and had to sit at my feet while I discussed why I did not want the generic facewash but the real deal that was actually prescribed to me (turns out they get a big bonus at the end of the year if they push the generic - who knew?) and the lady was annoyed at me, my kids, the situation...
And so now we are home sweet home - boys are spending time in their rooms, and though I rarely allow myself an afternoon cocktail, decided that today would be a great day for one!
