I survived...

my first outing with Brayden and Paytin on my own today. It's so funny how a very simple and easy going baby, still seems to make it so much harder to get out the door and get things done! I still can't put my finger on exactly what it is, because she involves the least work out of everyone most of the time, but there is something about the extra bag, extra 6 lbs of weight in an extra carseat, that just takes longer! But we finally got out of the house, ran and dropped some stuff off at the local thrift store, went to the post office (I realized now that I have two kids how much I dislike having to have a PO Box, especially when you lug them both out of the car to have two pieces of mail that could have waiting a day or two to pick up!) and the grocery store. I should have looked at the clock and realized it was nearing naptime, on a hot day, that Brayden woke up early on, but still we trucked on to get a few essentials (and why, now that I have another kid do I find myself realizing things I should have gotten at the store, the moment I get HOME from going to the store....I just don't know!) About half way through, Brayden was misbehaving, in the nice little car grocery cart that I got (where he sits down in the very front in a little car-like thing attached to the cart)and standing up, feet out the doors, trying to crawl through the windshield, whining about wanting a cookie (the bakery gives the kid a free one while Mom's shop). After several warnings, I had to completely pull over the huge cart in the milk aisle, crouch down and deal with him. It was NOT my best attempt at discipline (for some reason I have a hard time disciplining in public) but I was determined to not let him get away with how he was acting just because we were in public. So I crouched down, and talked to Brayden about sitting down, listening to Mommy, and waiting (my least favorite word with Brayden, he just doesnt seem to get the concept at all.) and was greeted with more whining, so I put the seat belt on him and turned and grabbed some milk and other items I needed (Brayden freaked out because he didnt want to be buckled in which was my form of "time out" in the situation we were in) and then I came back, talked to him, unbuckled him, and we went on our way. I saw an older lady looking at me the whole time, but just tried to ignore it. Then we were at the checkout line and the same lady came walking up to me and told me what a great job I had done disciplining him and how refreshing it was to see how I handled the situation. I was hot, sweaty, tired from the battle, ready to get home and nap, and those words couldn't have been sweeter to hear. I thanked the lady and she walked off, and it's one of those moments she will probably forget, but that I will always remember. Kindness with words goes a long way, and today was a huge example of that to me :)