Back to School Shopping

I learned something new again today: Avoid mass retailers as much as humanly possible the week before school starts. I went to Target today to buy some stuff that we need. Huge mistake. There were so many people there shopping with multiple school-age children trying desperately to fulfill the back-to-school list while remaining within budget (impossible!) And to top it all off, the housewares department was swarmed with dorm-bound college students w/parents deciding which plastic crates will make a nice end table. Ohmygod. It was a madhouse. But I was determined to get my shopping done. I mean, I was there, had child in cart, and list in hand. There was no turning back. I managed to get most of the things off of our list. I never do better than most these days. Shopping with a toddler is like shopping with half a brain. And shopping with a toddler (who was extremely well behaved, by the way) when the store is swarmed with crazy parents and kids is like shopping with less than that. I think I need a nap.

Things I've Learned Today:

1. Do not waste all of your morning hunting for a cricket that has found it's way into your home. You will NOT find the cricket, only lots of dust, abandoned toys, and the occasional cheerio. This will only result in obvious vacuuming and as I said, you will NOT find the cricket.

2. Giving a 1 year old a chocolate chip cookie to eat so he is quiet in the car is only a good idea if bath time is immediately following; he (and his carseat) will be COVERED in chocolate.

3. Former homeowners who don't prime and/or paint walls before putting up (ugly) wallpaper are assholes.

4. A Comforter set should only be purchased if you are absolutely sure you are keeping it. This is not like purchasing a shirt to try on at home and simply return if you don't like it. We are 3 comforter sets into this fiasco and setting them up, repackaging them, and returning them to the store is a giant pain in my butt.

5. If a toddler only wants to eat various bread products with cream cheese for all 3 meals than he should be only be fed various bread products with cream cheese. It is just not worth the tantrum.

6. Do not waste additional time in the afternoon searching for cricket either. You will only realize that you didn't do a good job vacuuming the first time. And to make matters worse, you still will NOT find the cricket.

For the love of

Hitting. It's official: he's a hitter. Within the last week Joey has taken up hitting Ron and I frequently. We've picked up on when he does it most and we're trying to eliminate some "triggers." I spent the weekend comforting myself that at least it's just Ron and I that he hits, not other kids, etc. Not so much. The little bugger whacked the crap out of his cousin Mollie yesterday on more than one occasion over a toy or something equally stupid. It's very hard to deal with. Especially because he is only 1. Most articles and books I've looked at talk about this behavior in 2-year olds +, so the discipline is not quite appropriate yet. Hard to believe that it was just one short year ago that Joey did nothing but lay around being adorable. He's definately still adorable, with a mean streak that's not so much.

Look Mom! I'm Walking!

I've said for months that Joey has no interest in walking, although today it kinda seemed like the lightbulb went off. Like he suddenly realized that he can move in a standing position and get from one place to the other. (what a concept!) I've been standing him behind his walkers and he has to try to keep up as they scoot along. He thinks this is very fun. He may walk soon afterall!