I survived!!!!

My first public toddler tantrum and boy was it a doozie! There are some things about parenthood you hope you'll avoid but I think this is one of those unavoidables. There we were at Target on a mission to find a new "juice" (which is really water, J doesn't like juice but calls water juice) cup. We lost the "baby's juice" at playgroup yesterday and it has really bummed my boy out. Anyway, we were on a mission and while we were there I thought we'd check out the shoe section. Well, wouldn't you know there were a beautiful pair of choo choo shoes. I knew J would be thrilled. Just last night Jimmy and I were telling him that now that it would be getting cooler he was going to have to get some new shoes. When his little eyes spotted the choo choo shoes it was love at first sight. I thought to myself, great! what a score. And it was until it was time to try them on....that's when J lost it. He did not want to try on a shoe. He wanted to hold them and give them to the lady at the check out and that was it. I tried to explain to him that we needed to try them on because I didn't know what size to get. Of course explaining anything to a 2 year old usually falls on deaf ears. He started crying first, then he got his little face all red and then the screaming started. Oh my! All the while Willie was on my back fussing because he was tired. So, I figure it would be best to just remove ourselves from the situation.....

wrong. this brings on even more screaming and then J tried to stand up in the cart. oy. what do I do? So, we sneak into an aisle of towels where no one was looking. He finally calms down enough for me to explain to him that we need to get shoes but we need to try them on. Everyone calms down. We go back to the shoe area and take J out of the buggy. We start trying on shoes, Willie is still fussing. I figure I'd take him off my back and let him sit on the floor for a minute. This made Willie happy happy happy.....but he was off and crawling faster then I can say Go Braves. Little stinker. But, this did make the J laugh. So we try on shoes, chase Willie, try shoes, chase Willie. Willie thinks this whole process is hilarious, the funniest thing ever. Finally we decided on a pair of 71/2 choo choo shoes and all seems well in the world of my boys.

So I think, cool now I can grab a couple other things we need.

Wrong mama! The screaming starts again. This time it's because we aren't wearing the shoes. Oh my I quickly make my way to the checkout and of course it would be just my luck today that they have ONE checker working and a store full of people ready to leave. I think they must have all been trying to get away from that poor screaming toddler. At this point the thought crosses my mind that we should just go and then this nice lady looks at me in that knowing mom way. Like with just a glance she made me feel like it was ok. Wouldn't you know she had on that glorious red Target shirt and she opened up another lane and I was first! We quickly got out of there.

By this point, it didn't matter what I did or said. J was determined to be mad and he was the whole way home.....then didn't want to come in the house.....then I decided it would be best for all if it was nap time. 5 minutes after he laid down in his bed he was out like shout.

I survived it. I can't believe it. There was a point when I wanted to crawl up under the buggy and disappear into the red.

I'm sure this won't be the last tantrum.....from what I gather it's a pretty normal thing.......I do hope it's a while before it happens again though.

By the way, we didn't even get a juice cup!