Sunday Smackdown

Sunday started out great; I made breakfast for all my boys and then we cleaned house. Nolan vacuumed, Hudson picked up toys, Scott and I changed sheets, dusted and cleaned the bathrooms. Once everything was in order I was going to run to Kroger. I usually go when the Hudson takes a nap because he is not so good in the grocery store. He typically throws a fit to eat things the whole time. I am sure this sounds funny but believe me it's NOT. He started doing it at about 18 months. If I take him we have to avoid the produce section because he just doesn't understand why all that lovely fruit is just sitting out and he can't have it. I have left the store MANY times over because of this issue and just had to either check out with what I had or leave with nothing. I have written about Hudson's fits before but truly unless you have witnessed the action it's hard to explain how awful they really are. You know when you have been in a store and there has been that screaming kid on the other aisle and most of the time you can ignore this type of thing; but every once in a while there is that extra loud kid that has the pitch that you just can't ignore...that's my kid. Sucks, but it's true. Hudson just came out of the womb with a loud cry - I remember how cute it was when Nolan was a newborn and cried. It was so tiny and even though he was so mad and trying to be loud it was still so quiet. NOT HUDSON - he was the exact opposite. Between Hudson's puke and screaming, let's just say he has not been the easiest baby. :) It has been a few months since I attempted taking his to get groceries so I decided to try it again. BAD idea. We actually made it through the produce and bakery before our first the meltdown. We got the cart with the car on the front of it because he saw it and asked nicely for it. It is an awful thing to drive around the store because it's bigger and the cart is smaller but I agreed to it. The problem started when he wanted out of the car part but refused to get in the cart and get buckled. Oh my goodness - it was the loudest, most annoying, bratty scream ever! I was finally able to force him into the buggy but he was out of control and thrashing around. I tried to bribe him with blueberries - no luck. I even made a dash back for the toy aisle and he was already so worked up he refused to even pause or acknowledge them. After five straight minutes of screaming I gave up and went to check out. I had to much to just leave it plus meats from the deli. Gotta love Kroger for opening up another checkout lane and escorting me to the front of it. The manager even unloaded my groceries from the cart to the conveyer belt for me since Hudson had a death grip on me at this point and would just scream louder if I let him go. I could barely get my wallet out and check out. Once I did check out I was even escorted out of the store with a bag boy (which never happens anymore). Hudson continued to scream all the way out to the car and the kid had to load my groceries in the trunk so that I could force Hud into the car seat. Becca and I always swap "I love Kroger" stories and this one tops them all. I am sure it was because of their superior customer service skills and seeing a mother in distress - not their own agony that made them jump to the rescue. :) Our other "love" stories include getting a big bag of bruised produce for 50 cents (saving about $10!), the time they called B to tell her that the pico she had purchased was recalled, fresh flower bargains right before a shower, last minute presents found, their fresh tortilla's that they make in the store that are awesome...etc, etc. We LOVE them, we are dorks. (I also like Walmart; I know everyone hates them these days but they are cheap and I can get the basics from our little neighborhood market which is still clean and nice and not all skanky like most of them!) Anyways - back to the fit - he screamed and gagged the whole way home (luckily he didn't throw up because it was hours after breakfast). Once we arrived at home he refused to get out of the car. I went inside and got the camera which just made him even more mad. I finally picked him up and carried him to the living room. He continued to cry for about 15 more minutes when I finally just put him in his bed and walked away. He was in there for a long time before he quit crying and fell asleep. I was really surprised that he didn't get back up. I wrote that I love this age a while back - I might need to rethink that statement! :)