103 degrees (or more)

I finished a page in my Summer mini album this weekend while J was napping. My challenge at Memorable Seasons was Water, water, everywhere, scrapping your water pics. Most of the stuff on this is from Vita Bella Little Yellow Bicycle.



I don't know about your neck of the woods, but it was real hot here. The temperature was 103 on Sat. I figured that was just too hot to play in the pool, or the playground. So I decided to take J up to the local Toys R Us to get a toy I was sure he would love. He is very into anything that goes-cars, trucks, etc. So I wanted to get him this trash truck toy, it really is cuter than it sounds. Anyway, they didn't have it. Out of luck. At that point my resolve crumbled and I think J sensed that I was a little lost in what to do next. He decided to take the lead, by climbing repeatedly out of the shopping cart. I tried everything, but in the end he was loose. And I had to ditch the cart because he was so fast up and down the aisles. I finally cornered him in the battery powered like real-life cars section. He slowed down to look at them and sit in them. I tried repeatedly to carry him away, heading toward the exit. No dice, not without a major fit. I realized very quickly we weren't getting out of there without a scene. I gathered my strength and picked him up, holding him under both armpits with my arms wrapped around him while he pitched a fit. He screamed, and kicked my thighs (which are now black and blue), and flung his arms. I walked all the way from the back of the Toys R Us to the front with him like that, every person in the store stopping to stare. Yes, it was 103 degrees, but it feels like much more when your face was as red as mine. I prayed to spontaneously combust when we hit the sidewalk (didn't happen though).

I don't know when I became that woman, the one in public with a wild child that people stop what they are doing to stare at. The woman I used to think was clueless about children, I mean how else do you get in that situation right? J is only 17 mos, but he is acting like he is 2 years old already, testing every limit. Normally he is a good kid, he just isn't sleeping well and is prone to meltdowns because of it. I just don't want to be judged on my ability as a mom by the five minutes of tantrum that the world sees.