MyBaby - Kelmcmom Journal

I wish I was that mom...

Posted June 20, 2008 at 3:26PM by Kelmcmom
Diggin the motherhood gig

So there I was, with my friend in a TJ maxx, shoe and toy shopping. We each have a 14 mon old in tow and befriend another Mom (of 3, two older and one in stroller) shopping for special occasion footwear. We crack a few jokes about the kids and our normal "mom" comfy shoes vs the 5 inch heels.

We see her in another section of the store not much later, with one kid missing, the kid in stroller screaming, and the other tugging on her arm. She did not flinch....she was as cool as the other side of the pillow. She was even able to calmly ask one child to find the other. She did not panic, cry or sweat at her current situation. I on the other hand have ONE small child who can fuss and screech like the rest of them. I am the one in the store sweating, embarrassed and going through the arsenal in my purse of snacks and toys and paci's to make her stop. (She usually starts throwing everything anyway).

Why cant I be like that Mom? Is it due to the fact that she had been through it many times before? Has she lost the will to care? On the way home, it was past my daugters nap time and instead of calmy falling asleep in her car seat she cried and screamed the whole way home. I wanted to crash the car into a tree!

So I figure either she's packin xanax or she is a functioning alcoholic. (theres an idea). Or Maybe I just have to get used to the fact that I have no control over my kid screaming, kicking, crying, throwing, losing a shoe, vomiting in store, grabbing a rack of something etc. I need to "go with the flow" as they say.

or maybe my kid is just louder than anyone elses....

Tags: go with the flow

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Comments

Sticky_Mommy responded June 20, 2008 at 3:45PM

I love my job, it gives me a break from my kids!

"cool as the other side of the pillow" LOVE it, totally stealing it.

I just figure most people have kids and are really sympathizing with me. The dirty looks I get are from the people who do not have children or don't remember when they were at that phase.

And that is why God invented booze, to save our sanity.

rockergirrl responded June 20, 2008 at 3:56PM

www.findbarefootbooks.com

I think there is something to the second child that mellows you out a bit too. You realize there isn't much you can do when a kids acts up like that. Freaking out only makes matters worse. In general with everything parenting I have found keeping calm helps so much. Screaming back at a screaming child just makes them scream louder. If they don't stop after requesting they change their behavior you just simply leave the store.

karriejean responded June 20, 2008 at 5:57PM

Massage therapist, martial artist, butt-kickin' momma.

Been there with leaving the store. I've only had to do that once, though. I get embarrassed, too, but the more you go through it the less you care about what other people think. Work on a really good glare...

Kelmcmom responded June 20, 2008 at 6:01PM

Diggin the motherhood gig

I will work on glare. The staying calm part? yikes....thats just not me. Maybe I have to just accept the way I am too! Thanks all. Makes me feel better. :o) And yes sticky momma, the vodka watermelon will come out when hubby gets home.

rockergirrl responded June 20, 2008 at 8:50PM

www.findbarefootbooks.com

yeah and remember also - so that mom was cool and calm - she probably sucks at something else you rock at so try not to compare what you see. We all do the best we can.

Kelmcmom responded June 22, 2008 at 5:51PM

Diggin the motherhood gig

funny enough after posting this, went to some stores today, and My girl had a melt down. I mean the mouth open-no sound-waiting for exploding scream to come out. and it did. I had my husband go to the check out line,and I CALMLY took her outside. (I was proud) Actually, she was rying acreaming so loud (I think she had gas, she was bunching up on me)that I actually laughed. I told myself that she is a baby, (14 mon is still a baby, right? I mean she was not allowed to ride any kiddie rides at the shore....damn it.) and babies cry. its nothing new.

rohansmama responded June 23, 2008 at 1:19PM

I agree with rockergirrl that with the second child we become quite confident in handling such situations.

dustbunny responded June 24, 2008 at 7:26AM

dishing the dirt, cleaning the chaos

I just read this whole thread! Sorry I missed the chatter, lol.
Yeah, confidence like that comes with more kids and more catastrophes. She knows it's a roll of the dice...either she'll get the shoes in peace or she's shop in madness. Either way, it's way too much work to get worked up about it. I've done that but when it gets too insane (like this past Sunday) I pick up the littlest one and walk out. I draw the line at chasing up & down the aisle.

haydensmommy18 responded June 24, 2008 at 6:24PM

a mother is the best gift a girl can recieve.

well i sure hope the second kid changes how you react. because my daughter(first) drives me crazy

minimepending responded July 11, 2008 at 3:54PM

Lilly (19 months) is definitely an early achiever in the terrible twos catagory these days, it seems. We went to Chiles yesterday and luckily (?) we had a girl I knew from high school who has a slightly older toddler as the waitress and she seems understanding and would get to Lilly's level and talk to her.

But I just try and deal. Often one of us (me/hubby) will take her outside or I've become better at ignoring it in public (while oddly he's better at ignoring it in the house..?)

I just wish I knew those magical words that would MAKE HER STOP. However, the terrible two issues are a wonderful form of mental birth control...

when does it stop?

Posted June 18, 2008 at 5:10PM by Kelmcmom
Diggin the motherhood gig

so here is a typical half hour of my life...

after nap and snack I take a trip to carters, due to great sale I heard about.

get out stroller, equipped with stroller toy, sippy cup and extra snack.

Child has tantrum in store, wanting to run around instead of being confined in the stroller....she proceeds to arch her back and rock back in forth wildly in stroller and scream. I find a mirrored pillar and park her there a moment so I can check out the clearance rack.

I promptly have to jerk stroller away with child clutching entire rack of PJs. (Did i mention that child threw snacks and her cup?)

leave and return home to start dinner. While defrosting chicken etc, child takes all unfolded laundry from basket I thought was high enough for her not to reach. She must have grown during the nap. also, is stepping on goldfish crackers she spilled creating a nasty sweaty feet chedder mash on wood floor.

While cleaning that up and head ing back to hot kitchen, she takes all the ziploc bags from container and all the kitchen towels are spread on the floor. I put this all away, letting her keep a small brown paper bag.

I hop on the laptop to type this, and as I do the brown paper bag gets tossed into my lap, falls and back into my lap. This continues until I start banging my head on the table, to which she begins to dance as if it were some trible drum.

Yes folks...this is one half hour. Ask me about the rest of my day!

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Comments

Sticky_Mommy responded June 18, 2008 at 5:15PM

I love my job, it gives me a break from my kids!

Lord, my children are the reason I drink.

Kelmcmom responded June 18, 2008 at 5:16PM

Diggin the motherhood gig

is that your new tagline? lol

rockergirrl responded June 19, 2008 at 8:05AM

www.findbarefootbooks.com

oh Sticky you made me laugh with that one.

dustbunny responded June 19, 2008 at 9:26AM

dishing the dirt, cleaning the chaos

oh, boy, well i have a 2,4 & 9year old. I FINALLY had a moment yesterday when it was madness and my 2 yo wouldn't stop yelling...the 9 y old looked at me and was like, I wish this would just stop. but then, the crazy issues just morph into other nonstop things like carpooling, pick ups, buying more cereal you just boiught 2 days ago...there's no end to the whirlwind....not as I see it. you might find it stops when you drop her off at school for kindergarten, that is, until the bus pulls up at noon. :)

benbaby responded June 19, 2008 at 12:45AM

Goofing around with my babies - Big and Lil

Kelmcmom you actually get good exercise at home and you don't need to workout at the gym. I would suggest follow Sticky mommy's footsteps. I mean forget everything over a drink.

Sticky_Mommy responded June 19, 2008 at 1:04PM

I love my job, it gives me a break from my kids!

Another reason I don't fold the laundry or clean, it's just going to get undone...maybe I'll wait until they're at college.

Kelmcmom responded June 19, 2008 at 1:25PM

Diggin the motherhood gig

you all are the best!