So far...so good...

Today has been one of those days that could easily make me to vow to never leave the house with kids again! I've been on a mission to finish Avie's room and the last thing to do is make a duvet cover for her bed. I've been tossing ideas back and forth and cant make a decision...up until our trip to Branson, where I noticed a beautiful comforter at a cute, little, local shop. It had a Victorian/shabby chic look....light pink linen with little ruffles and bows here and there....and completely out of my price range. Long story short....while googleing I found a similar look and plan on "trying" to duplicate it!

So here is where my day begins....the journey to Hancock Fabrics! On the way I manage to hit something...don't know what because I never saw it, just heard it....pulled over and there is a big bulge/knot in my front tire. Its not leaking air, so I decide to continue onto the fabric store. Jackson is in the back going ninety to nothing about the tire, and whats it look like, and what did we hit, and did you hear that, and can I see it, and whats it look like.....After a long 1o minutes we arrive and Jack is the first to get out to inspect the tire! I make my way to get Avie out, grab my purse, my notes, and think about getting that buggy cover, but decide against it.....then I noticed Jack shoving his finger in the side of my door, I tell him to "stop it", and he pulls his finger out covered in grease! We get that cleaned up and head inside....so far so good, just a bulged tire and a greased finger.

The two stores I go to the most besides Walmart.....are the two stores that I hate their buggies the most! Hobby Lobby and Hancocks! I dont know why they think that I need a minature buggy with two kids and all the stuff I have to get....just doesn't make sense to me. So Avie rides in the front and Jackson walks. We make our rounds and after 15 minutes the kids are both doing quite well. Jack is to be expected....handing me various trim, thread, and fabric bolts...."do you need this mommy?" We are trying to kill time, waiting for Brandon's Aunt to meet us, but I think it's time to get my fabric cut, and thats when I smell a dirty diaper! Avie is in the process of cutting teeth, and the by-product of teeth is many dirty diapers.....and a bad diaper rash. I decide to leave my cart at the cutting table and run to the car and change her....so far, so good, just a bulged tire, greased finger, and a poopie diaper.

Trying to kill more time, I decide to run in Tuesday Mornings....I love that store, just never have time to look...but I'm okay with the fast-pace, walk, browse today. We make it half way down the first isle, and Jack announces that he needs to go pee....bad....and that translates into now! Of course they have no public restrooms, neither does Hancocks, or Baskin Robbins, or the new pizza place....so we do the whole open the two car doors trick! He did good, only a few drips on his underwear...so far, so good, just a bulged tire, greased finger, poopie diaper, and emergency urge to go, with no bathrooms.

We are back in Hancocks and I am getting this fabric cut or else. Brandon's Aunt finally makes it, so at least I have an extra hand. Meanwhile Jack tries to stand on the back of the buggy and pulls it completely over! Avie falls backwards and hits her head on the floor and the buggy is on top of Jack, and they both are screaming....Avie is doing the soundless scream with her mouth wide open, but nothing is coming out! It's bad! I scoop Avie up, help move the buggy off of Jack and inspect for bumps and bruises! They both are more scared than hurt! Jack wants me to hold him and wont have anything to do with his Aunt Marie, so I hand Avie off to her and she does another soundless scream. I finally settle Jackson down and lure him to the candy rack...he's fine. Avie on the other hand is my drama child, so she will take a little longer! She doesn't fall for the candy! I take a breather and notice the whole store trying to get in on what happened.... staring...giving me their advice on head injuries....and little old ladies that are just clueless....A friend once told me that if you don't look around at other peoples reactions....you have nothing to worry about!

By this point I just want to go home, but since my fabric is already cut, ill just check out then go! So far, so good, just a bulged tire, greased finger, poopie diaper, an emergency urge to go, with no bathrooms, and a couple knots on the back of their heads....

On the way to the car, Jackson, so graciously reminds me that I promised him pizza and ice cream if he was good! You've got to be kidding me....I think to myself....how can he possibly remember that after all thats happened, and how can he actually think that he was good? I make a pit stop at the car to unload my fabric and then we are off to the pizza place....that is closed...so he settles for ice cream! I know...ice cream before lunch....I thought about it for about 1 second!

He chooses the most brightly colored ice cream....Rainbow sherbet....even though we discuss that he probably won't like it! Fine....I'd like a scoop of rainbow sherbet....and a scoop of the snickers ice cream. We all sit down, and Jack takes a few licks of his ice cream...all while eying mine! Finally he asks..."momma can I have a bite of yours"....sure....and now the question that I was waiting for...."momma can we stitch"....what!...."stitch"....you mean switch?...."yeah can we stitch"...

So Avie and I eat the Rainbow Sherbet...good thing I always got this flavor as a kid! Then Jack starts whining that he doesn't like mine and that he wants another kind! It seems like its a good time to leave....So far, so good, just a bulged tire, greased finger, poopie diaper, an emergency urge to go, with no bathrooms, a couple knots on the back of their heads, and an ungrateful child.

We get to the car and say our goodbyes to Aunt Marie, only Jack refuses to tell her bye and give her a hug! And this is not the first time he has done this...he's just being a little...you know what, and it's embarrassing to me because its my kid! So he does get a good spanking in the car! I finally get both the kids loaded and buckled and am now trying to get myself loaded and buckled. A light comes on saying my door is not shut, so I open it and shut it, again....still on....I make sure nothing is stuck in between....still on...I make sure all the other doors are shut....still on....I get out of the vehicle to inspect the door....and in the little hole....that Jack was sticking his finger in earlier, I see a rock! "Did you stick a rock in my door", I yell, "Yeah", he proudly admits! I try to pry it out with a bobby pin...no luck...so now I will ride home with my door not all the way shut and the little dinging sound going off every 5 minutes to remind me!

Then I had it out with Jack...."I cant take you anywhere....you are constantly getting into things...not listening....then you pulled the buggy over and Avie has a big knot on her head....then I got you ice cream and all you did was complain....you were ugly to Aunt Marie and wouldn't tell her bye...and last but not least you stuck a rock in my door, and now I have to ride home like this! I just don't know what to do with you! Why cant you just stay by me in the store, and not touch everything, and listen when I tell you to do something. Why cant you be thankful that you got to eat ice cream instead of complaining about it! Why couldn't you tell Aunt Marie bye and give her a hug...she loves you, and that really hurt her feelings! Jack I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong...I'm just so upset with you right now!"

He looks at me very seriously with his pouty face and says, "Momma, you just need to chill out!"

I....stare back for a few seconds....in shock...not expecting that response....and respond with...."Jack, I wish I could just chill out!"

At the least, I got my fabric...