mallrants

Well, I did it. Yesterday evening I packed up all three kids and took my first solo trip to the mall. Personally, I like the mall. Fortunately, so do my kids! (Probably not a big mental leap there.) But I wasn't sure how it was going to go, shopping with all of them.

Overall, not so bad. I put the boys in the double stroller and the baby in the Bjorn. She slept the whole time, and the boys and I managed to pick out three pairs of shoes (two for Charles, one for Grey) without any major meltdowns. (I was nervous—in Charles's size there were a cool pair of Teen Titans shoes, while Greyson went home with a plain red and black pair. I expected fireworks, but Grey was happy with his.) We even checked out a couple of other stores and then had a Mrs. Field's cookie, and remained all in pretty good spirits.

Now for the rants (and warning: they may be petty. So be it.).

Why do people selling time-consuming health and beauty products (notably moisturizers and nail care products, from what I've seen) from the kiosks think that a mom with three small kids is going to have time to use their products ... or stop and talk to them, for that matter? Can't they pick on someone unencumbered for their sales pitch? Seems like it would be more profitable.

If you're driving through a parking lot and you spy a woman with three little kids (i.e., all car seat users) JUST opening the door of her minivan, why do you stop and wait for her spot? Seriously, it takes me a good 10 minutes to get everyone out of the strollers and into the car seats—and that's without the stress of knowing someone is hovering in a large machine over my shoulder being irritated because I'm not moving faster! The spot wasn't that great, either, and the parking lot wasn't that full. Heck, the guy could have circled the lot a couple of times instead of blocking half the lane (and creating a more dangerous situation for me, moving around my car, as other cars sped up irritably to get around him), and I STILL wouldn't have left yet.

Ah, well. I was pleased with the boys' behavior ... and am looking forward to Veronica getting big enough to sit in the stroller. Not only was she a little heavy in the Bjorn, it was also darn hot!