The first, and wishful thinking, the last...

My boy has always been so good in public. Even when he was itty bitty and screaming in the car -when we took him to target he was happy to be out and about. The two of us have had our differences in opinion about certain stores, like the Hobby Lobby, and how to transport ourselves in those stores, cart vs. walking, but for the most part it's always been smooth sailing.

Until today. I hope what happened doesn't happen again, but as we are quickly approaching the two year mark, I'm sure it's just the beginning.

We went to the book store to make our first official Christmas Gift purchase for 2008. We were lacking a planned afternoon and I had some cash so I thought, "what the heck - let's go for it" and go for it we did.

In my head I pictured a fun 20 min. or so looking at children's books, making our selections, and then moving on to the grown-up big people books, paying and leaving. Instead, the boy and I disagreed. HE wanted to wander through more kids books - fine I thought - that was until he found the Thomas the Train section. Damn that train! Not only were there books, but figurines, some of them opened by previous naughty boys I'm sure. Well, my boy went right for the open box.

I told him no, that we weren't going to play with trains, that we needed to go pay for our books. He disagreed. Screaming ensued. Screaming, hitting, kicking, boogers, and total dry-heaving gagging.

Was I embarrassed? Yes, but not as much as I thought I'd be. Was I mad? Absolutely and completely. I probably shouldn't have purchased the books for him that i did, as punishment but by the time I walked the long walk to the front with everyone in the whole store staring at my screaming booger boy there wasn't a whole lot of thought going on except - GET OUT OF THE STORE NOW!

Once in the car I called the boy's father to vent. I generally make it a rule to never call him at work, but I was having a moment.

He laughed through my whole story.

Probably just because he wasn't there.