Humiliation

Last night we went to Wal-Mart to fill up our gas tank because gas was supposed to go up 10 cents (to $3.18/gal) before the next day. I figured after dinner I would bathe the kids and get them into their PJs so they would fall asleep on the ride home, and all we'd have to do is transfer them into their beds. When we got to the store I realized I needed a few things that couldn't wait until the next trip so we (yes, Rick was actually with us for a change!) got the kids out of the car and went in.

Sarah was in the big part of the cart (where you're supposed to put the groceries), and Patrick was in the seat. Among the few items in the cart were chap-stick and a box of...um, feminine products. Patrick started crying so we gave him the chap-stick to keep him occupied. That upset Sarah, who felt slighted, so she grabbed the item away from Patrick, which in turn upset him. So Rick (trying to be helpful) snatched it away from Sarah...now both children were crying and I just kept walking because I knew that in just a minute something would catch their attention and the crying would cease. I walked over to the next aisle to grab something (and yes, also to pretend I wasn't part of that nutty clan), and I was gone for maybe two to three minutes.

Something did catch Sarah's attention. And within a few moments of peaceful silence, I became aware of this silence...and got that uneasy feeling that we moms get when kids are being quiet and good. I walked bak over, peered into the cart, and there was Sarah...sitting amongst a small pile if plastic wrappers and covered in pantiliners. The cart had liners stuck all over it, there were some balled up, sticking to surfaces on the railing of the cart, they were stuck to her body-my favorite was the one on her forehead. Talk about an embarrasing moment. I was stuffing the opened liners back into the box as hurriedly as I could, praying that no one knew what was going on. I blamed Rick, of course, for allowing this to happen. He thought it was the funniest, most hysterical thing ever, which angered me even more.

I made up my mind at that point that anything else I may have needed could definitely wait until next time and we made a bee-line for the cashier. I handed her the barcode side of the box and crammed it into a bag myself. Needless to say, it was not my all time best parenting experience.