Shopping

Sometimes I try not to shop until Felipe can stay home with at least two of the kids. However his schedule is pretty rigorous right now and so I just brave the stores with my four tiny kids. Grocery shopping works with Samantha in the front of the cart now that she can sit up, Carolina in the basket, and Felipe and Cassandra walking. When the cart gets full and Carolina is tired of sitting on groceries she gets to walk (or run, since she really never walks). This is the hard part - keeping track of all three of them and the cart with the baby and shopping at the same time.

Today we braved the mall. I have a sit and stand stroller - meaning Samantha sits in the front and the other three sit and stand in the back. It just has one seat but my kids are so small that I can squish two on the seat and have one stand right in front of the seat and push all four around in the stroller. The hard part is keeping all four in the stroller.

After spending about 30 minutes at the Disney Store and then another 30 minutes at a toy store I felt like it was my turn to choose a store. So we went into one of my favorite clothing stores and the minute I let go of the stroller the three kids in the back of the stroller ran in three different directions and hid in the clothing racks. I couldn't see any of them but I could hear them screaming and laughing. They would see me or each other and scream and laugh and run into another clothing rack. It was a more "sophisticated" type clothing store where kids popping out of the top of the clothing racks and screaming just doesn't seem like a good idea. I really wanted to see the clearance racks though so I tried my best to gather up the kiddos and get them back in the cart - which was no easy task because the minute I would get one in, the others would jump out. Finally I got all of them cornered.

This is what I said to them in a very nice voice - I just spent an hour at the Disney store and at the toy store. I was very nice and waited for you all to look at toys and things that you like. Now I get a turn and I would appreciate it if you could stay in the stroller and let me look at a few things I like.

I honestly didn't think that would work, but it did. They immediately sat in the stroller. waited patiently and talked in calm voices. Unfortunately Samantha started screaming now so I didn't get much time to really shop, but the other three kids did their best to calm her down and play with her. They also tried to help me shop and pointed out a few things that they thought I would like - like sunglasses, socks, scarves, etc.

It was still hard to shop but I love that my kids know how to take turns and share. They are the best and I actually enjoy shopping with all four of them even with all the work it is!! (And I did get three great sweaters that I can't wait to wear.)