Adventures in Grocery Shopping

Okay - so anyone who knows our family knows that going to the grocery store with all four of my kids often ends in hair pulling, feet stomping, screams and tears - and my children hate it too. ;)  Lately however, I have found the secret to success... Just taking two (or one) with me at a time.  And by two, I mean Carli and Ella.  They still LOVE going to the grocery store while Micah and Addison don't really like it all that much.  Just having C & E with me is like grocery shopping Heaven.  Next to going completely alone, they are a top rate second choice.  Until they start talking... ;)

Did you know that 3 year olds have no filters?  None.  Zero. Zip. Zilch.  This leads to laughs, teachable moments, and total embarrassment all in one grocery aisle.  Let me give you a sample of a few snippets from our most recent grocery store adventure...

While waiting for our turn at the bakery counter (free cookies are one of Meijer's best ideas yet), two ladies strike up a conversation with us.  They ask the typical, "Twins?"  Followed by, "They are just too cute!" (I seriously have this same conversation at least 3 times on every.single.shopping trip.  Where are these nice people when tantrums are being thrown...I know hiding!  Just like I wish I was!)  ANYWAY - after talking with the super nice ladies for about 3 minutes, Ella pipes up in a rather loud voice, "Mommy, why are those black ladies talking to us?  They are STRANGERS!"  I quickly reminded them how nice they were and that it was ok to talk to strangers if I was right there, etc.  However, anyone who knows me knows that I hate it when skin color is used to describe someone.  Micah and Addison will tell you all about a person without ever mentioning skin color or race.  I've worked hard to instill that we are all just people to my kids.  So in this instance, I was quite embarrassed.  None the less everyone was kind and as we walked away, I again had a lesson time with the girls about people and watching what we say.

That lesson, however, must have fallen on deaf ears because throughout the next few aisles this is what was said (and while innocent, it was LOUD), "Mommy why is that man wearing pajamas in the store?? Why didn't he get dressed first?" (Good question - Answer?  He wanted to be comfy while shopping.)  "Mommy, why does that man have so many holes in his pants?" (The man answers, "at least they don't go all the way through."  High "fashion" jeans - argh!) "Mommy why do those people have a doggie in their cart?" (No it wasn't a PAWS dog - and I didn't have a good answer so we just asked if we could pet it.)  Sheesh!  Can't they just think their questions?? :)

But none of these instances compare to the time when a man with Turrets Syndrome was in the aisle next to us.  He would spontaneously chirp every few seconds.  Finally Ella asked what the noise was.  I explained that it was a person in the next aisle and that he couldn't help it.  They asked why.  I said because that was the way God made him, etc.  That seemed to appease them for a couple of moments.  Then he chirped again... The girls looked at each other... Then??  Chirped back!!!  Loudly!  Every time the young man chirped, so did they. EVERY TIME. Nothing I did made them stop.  People all around us were chuckling.  I was not.  Finally, I found something that quieted them - NO COOKIE!  But I could see them dying to chirp for the rest of the shopping trip...

Oh how I adore these girls!!  Even when they are causing me to want to sink into the floor.  Now I'm sure you can see why taking C & E to the store is really the most fun... ;)