I have been wanting to go check out a store called Trader Joe's for a while now. It is 15 minutes away and a smaller grocery store with all sorts of organic products and when I went I didn't want to take the children with me. But this morning I needed out of the house and so I ignored that little voice in my head that said 'you're nuts' and took all 3 kids anyway.
We found the store easily and though the carts were smaller I put Aly in the front, Kohen in the back and trusted Kennedy to walk by me. I could tell right away there would be little chance for reading labels and delving into the treasures that are surely at Trader Joes. I started to just grab a few things that caught my eye like Organic Veggie Tortilla Chips, Organic White Cheddar Corn Puffs, and some salmon. Each child was constantly asking me things and asking when they could eat the things I was putting in the cart and Aly was trying desperately to eat the Cheddar Puffs through it's plastic bag (any chance the bag is organic???) and, "can we have this?" -Red Wine- and, "why does that lady have so much stuff in her cart?" - probably because she isn't shopping with kids!... I was ready to get outta there 15 minutes after we made our entrance.
So we are checking out and an intimidatingly silent African-American woman with dreadlocks is our checker. I take Kohen out of the back of the cart to make room for the 2 bags and ask him to please hold on to the side of the cart while I pay. A moment later I sense movement and I turn in time to watch the cart tip over with Kohen hanging on the side and Aly and the groceries still in it. I guess the least Kohen could do for tipping the cart was break it's fall with his shin, poor little guy. A nice mom behind me came to my aid helping calm a scared Aly while I comforted Kohen. The scary checker lady never moved or said anything to me, let alone offer any help. She just stood there impatiently waiting for me to pay. Thoroughly embarrassed I left the store with my organic-loving tail between my legs, carrying one crying child and consoling another as I tried to push the stupid little cart out to the van.
I couldn't help but feel like I had just gotten my trash kicked by karma. When I was about Kohen's age I too was once hanging on the side of the cart while my mom checked out at the store and I tipped over the cart dumping my little sister onto the floor and giving the back of my mom's legs some heinous bruises from where the cart landed on them...I mean seriously, what are the chances!? Maybe that Mom-Curse: "I hope you have a child just like you!!!" really works, though I am pretty sure my mom didn't start saying that until I was quite a bit older and sassier. At any rate, Kohen has a huge blue and purple goose-egg bruise on his shin but luckily that is the only injury. He humbly told me he was 'Sorry' several times on the way home and I think this traumatic event might have possibly cured Kohen of hanging on the side of the cart...though I'm not holding my breath.
We found the store easily and though the carts were smaller I put Aly in the front, Kohen in the back and trusted Kennedy to walk by me. I could tell right away there would be little chance for reading labels and delving into the treasures that are surely at Trader Joes. I started to just grab a few things that caught my eye like Organic Veggie Tortilla Chips, Organic White Cheddar Corn Puffs, and some salmon. Each child was constantly asking me things and asking when they could eat the things I was putting in the cart and Aly was trying desperately to eat the Cheddar Puffs through it's plastic bag (any chance the bag is organic???) and, "can we have this?" -Red Wine- and, "why does that lady have so much stuff in her cart?" - probably because she isn't shopping with kids!... I was ready to get outta there 15 minutes after we made our entrance.
So we are checking out and an intimidatingly silent African-American woman with dreadlocks is our checker. I take Kohen out of the back of the cart to make room for the 2 bags and ask him to please hold on to the side of the cart while I pay. A moment later I sense movement and I turn in time to watch the cart tip over with Kohen hanging on the side and Aly and the groceries still in it. I guess the least Kohen could do for tipping the cart was break it's fall with his shin, poor little guy. A nice mom behind me came to my aid helping calm a scared Aly while I comforted Kohen. The scary checker lady never moved or said anything to me, let alone offer any help. She just stood there impatiently waiting for me to pay. Thoroughly embarrassed I left the store with my organic-loving tail between my legs, carrying one crying child and consoling another as I tried to push the stupid little cart out to the van.
I couldn't help but feel like I had just gotten my trash kicked by karma. When I was about Kohen's age I too was once hanging on the side of the cart while my mom checked out at the store and I tipped over the cart dumping my little sister onto the floor and giving the back of my mom's legs some heinous bruises from where the cart landed on them...I mean seriously, what are the chances!? Maybe that Mom-Curse: "I hope you have a child just like you!!!" really works, though I am pretty sure my mom didn't start saying that until I was quite a bit older and sassier. At any rate, Kohen has a huge blue and purple goose-egg bruise on his shin but luckily that is the only injury. He humbly told me he was 'Sorry' several times on the way home and I think this traumatic event might have possibly cured Kohen of hanging on the side of the cart...though I'm not holding my breath.
11 comments:
Okay you didn't tell me that on the phone! See we really do need to go without kids. Pick a night and let's go. They close at 9:00 though....
I guess you didn't go tonight to Panera???
Those darned smaller carts. They're just not as sturdy as the ones at the bigger grocery stores. Hope you found some great things in your short jaunt to the store.
And...It's funny how silence can be so intimidating!
Hey Erin, we love your blog. We found it through Heather Hochalter's blog. It is fun to see what you've been up to.
You're not the first~ I was a young mother of my first baby who was about 10 months old when she fell out of the cart at Costco. She was wearing a white top of course and blood was all over it. I ran to the IBProfen and tore it open. I was so upset and felt so stupid, I just wanted to get out of there! Upon returning home I discovered that in my frenzik state, I didn't even buckle her into the car seat. All I had wanted to do is get home. I started crying all over again. My eyes were filled with tears. I walked up the stair carrying my baby and tripped! I just sat there crying and crying! I felt like a horrible mother!
One time my mom pushed the cart with me (a baby) in the front of it to my dad on the other end of the freezer isle. They both held thier breath while the thing tipped onto two wheels and went crashing into the glass doors... I think you're gonna be ok... and the small cart thing is just another reason I LOVE costco:) Poor Kohen!
I'm so sorry. I really can't believe the checker didn't even try to help. You really will have to go back to Trader Joes when you get the chance though because it really is a great store. The pink berry lemonade is my favorite. It's just what you need to forget about that bad shopping experience.
I can seriously see that happening to us. Carter always seems to figure out how to to pull of the unthinkable when we are out in public.
your stories are so fun to read. they have great detail and make me laugh. Life sure is different when you have children along. Everything has a new little twist.
Gina
Oh Erin. I'm so sorry! I hope there is no such thing as the "mom curse" or I might be in trouble.
I've been wanting to visit trader joes for a while now too! Maybe we should go together some evening. After your story, I think I'll wait until I have a free moment without the kids ;). I'm glad that the only casualty was a bruised knee.
I'm just glad not to see that leg in a cast! Glad everyone was OK.
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