The Toddler Power to Embarrass

Yesterday was an interesting day. We had a quick post nap errand to run. Riley is usually very well behaved when we're out and about. She'll get bored and ask to go home, but nothing serious. She's especially good about parking lots. She always holds Mommy's hand and stays close to the car. Not yesterday.

We went to Best Buy to pick something up. We'd ordered a present for Mike's mom online and selected in store pick up. It was all paid for and every thing I just needed to go in the door and show my id and leave. It's never that simple is it? I should have taken the two elderly couples sitting in handicapped spaces on cell phones with no permits as a bad omen. They even had the nerve to give me the stink eye! I digress, Riley did well from the car to the store. She was wearing her Dora backpack. We got waved right over without waiting in line. Riley found the little line pillar things hilarious. She was laughing and running around them twisting my arm that had the lead from the backpack.

I asked her to stop right about the time the guy behind the counter informed me he couldn't find it. Great. Riley threw herself on the filthy floor laughing. When I bent down and looked her in the eye and explained the floor was very dirty, she went back to running around the pillars.

Here I am hanging on to my crutch and my two year who is being ridiculous as the minutes tick by. He neither apologized nor offered me a seat. It was so frustrating. Everyone was staring at the disabled mom with the out of control toddler. I'm sure they were all doing my two favorite things: judging and pitying me. Ick. I was truly at a loss. I'm a good mom I kept thinking, please hurry stupid guy. Well, after I got the stern tone with her, Riley declared herself in time out and sat down on the floor with her back to the counter.

When the second or two of quietly sitting passed she threw herself onto the floor again. I put her on the counter in front of me. I told her we were going straight home because she was not being a good listener. Someone finally came up and pointed out that what I needed had been behind the counter the whole time! GRRRR. At which point Riley refused to get down. I was praying she wouldn't injure me as I wrestled her to the floor. When she got down she ran around the pillar like it was a freaking May pole! Someone in line had to help me take it apart to get her untangled!

As if that wasn't enough she got mad going out the door and pulled the pillar line divider thingy by the door right over. When I asked her to pick it up she made a feeble attempt, but didn't. The guy by the door shook his head and sighed "I'll get that." I'm sure he just wanted us to leave. She came out the door and all the way to the car before she decided she'd been compliant too long. She fought me like crazy. It took almost as long as we'd been waiting in the stupid store to get her in the darn car!

For added fun she screamed all the way home that she had to pee. Awesome.