The Grocery Store

Having just come away from a Homecoming weekend spent mainly socializing with friends that we see far too infrequently and comparing notes on our children (note taking not always necessary as the live action version is often more memorable) I feel that I have narrowed the field of most detested tasks of mothers of three year olds... to one.... that would be.... GROCERY SHOPPING!

I had extremely high hopes for Will's first foray into the world of education, Preschool. I would drop him off, race home, take a shower, do the breakfast dishes, run load of laundry, vacuum the house, put things back in order, grocery shop for the week, etc... the list goes on but alas there are only three hours of preschool on Tuesday and Thursday. I have yet to make it to the store alone. The house is in order and the clothes are clean but I still have an assistant at the store... UGH! Someday....

I have devised a system that I do not recommend for the faint of heart. Will found, on one of our trips to Goodwill, a toy grocery cart. The Step2 kind. One day in weak moment I told Will he could bring the cart to the store and "help"me shop. Do I really need to elaborate and say that now the cart goes to EVERY shopping trip. Much to my amazement it does help somewhat because he can put groceries in the cart and he is not confined to the seat. I must make frequest remeinders not to run over other people in the aisle for example, but as long as I have a list and can go rather quickly through the store he stays close to me and happily pushes the cart around the entire grocery store. Just a warning to anyone who decides to try this... it does attract attention and strangers will talk to you. I'm just sayin'.... depending on where you live this can either be a blessing or a curse.