Nice People Do Still Exist

There are just some days that you really wish there was a rewind (or even fast forward) button that could be pushed when you make a stupid decision. Yesterday was one of those days for me. After hearing that the kids did not nap yet again thanks to Katie's crib hopping exploits, I still thought it was a "good" idea to stop by the grocery store. I needed to pick up Tyler's prescription refill and since our cupboards are pretty bare I thought I would get a few things for dinners over the next couple of days until I could do a "real" shopping trip. Everyone in my twins group says that they use the double grocery carts - which my kids love - but I still don't know how they get the kids from the car to the cart. Katie is good about holding hands, but Tyler will jerk away in seconds and just can't be trusted without being confined in public places. So, I put them in the stroller and intended to only get what could fit in the little carry basket. Well, as I was walking through the store I of course thought of a zillion things I needed and that little basket filled up fast. The whole time I am walking through the kids are alternately fussing, grabbing at things on the shelves, or trying to unbuckle and stand up (they hate the stroller, especially when they are tired). Just as I was about at my limit of things I could carry (ok, actually already over the limit) I remembered that I HAD to get milk so I set out to go to the opposite end of the store. Once I figured out a way to carry the basket filled to the brim with canned goods, hamburger meat and other essentials in addition to the gallon of milk while still leaving a hand free to push the stroller I was pretty proud of myself, until the stroller broke! It would not roll! Then, when I finally got it to go just a little bit it was veering crazily to the left and right before it suddenly stopped working again and THEN, Tyler decided to throw his shoes (we already lost a flip flop at that store a week ago). I must have been a sight - stuck stroller, one child laughing like a maniac because he was so proud that he tossed his shoes (that I had already had to remove from the basket to make room which was the only reason they were on his feet again anyway), another trying to open the freezer door that we had run into, me trying desperately not to drop the basket full of Veg-all and the milk while getting Tyler's shoe back on and trying to get the stroller to go. It was a disaster and then from out of nowhere this nice man came up, grabbed the basket and milk out of my hands, asked me if I needed anything else and then put it on the check-out for me. He then went and got a bigger basket and made sure that the bag boy helped me out to my car (in the rain, of course). It was a really nice thing to do, especially since no fewer than 3 people had already looked at me and said variations of "boy, do you have your hands full" while they kind of gave me the stink eye for taking up to much room in the aisle. Sadly, things did not improve when we got home since when we got there I realized that Katie had escaped from her carseat again, and this time in less than 5 minutes. Tyler grabbed my phone out of my purse on the way in the door and the two of them proceeded to fight over that until distracted by stair climbing fun that was made even more fun by my repeated cries of "no," and taking them off the stairs and into "timeout" (which was obviously useless). Then Tyler managed to get Katie's shoes on his feet and would not take them off for anything (not for bath, pajamas, etc. until they were forcibly removed causing a complete meltdown), and I did not believe Katie when she told me "poo poo" but she showed me by removing the dirty diaper in the middle of the living room floor! There was more, but you get the idea - a day in the life, I guess! All was forgotten, though, when I got big night night kisses from both kids and I was reminded that all the hectic, craziness is completely worth it and I tried to believe the helpful stranger who said - "we've all been there."