Shopping with Kids

This morning I took my kids and husband to the mall. The goal was to buy a few gifts for family I'll see in a few days. Basking in the early morning sun, we set out, thinking it should not take us more than a couple of hours to buy something for three people whose tastes we know fairly well.

Well, here's what happened. The first place we had to go, absolutely had to go, before we even stepped into a store, was the food court. "Might be a good idea to get lunch out of the way", I thought. After all, fed kids are less likely to be cranky, right? What I forgot is the extra energy that comes with the calories. So there we were, two adults desperately hoping that no one notices our kids happily pretend napping in the hollow shoe display case as we looked at a purse.

That ended when one of them discovered that the mannequin's hands could be moved. So naturally, the correct thing to do was to shake hands and introduce themselves. To each and every mannequin in a three-storey store. Attempting a diversion maneuver, I asked them to follow me to the fitting rooms, where I can keep them enclosed. Of course, fitting room stalls have half doors and what can be more fun than sliding under doors, reporting on all the activity going on in other stalls? Red faced, I ran away from that room, shrieks of surprise ringing in my ears.

Well, the shopping ended soon after this. But not before we took a trip to Baskin-Robbins. As the kids explained, "we're tired from all this work and need a pick-me-up". Indeed.