Is It Naptime Yet

Today I went to do some major clothing and miscellaneous shopping. I needed to return a couple shirts and I needed to buy winter clothes and shoes for the girls and a few things for me. (Jon and I had a discussion that I have never bought socks since I’ve been married. I’ve been given socks, and I only wear socks during the winter, but my socks are getting pretty old. I use to buy a lot before being married, another reason why I haven’t needed to buy socks within the last 5 years. What have you not bought since being married?)
Back to the regular topic.
I live near a shopping center that is a U shape. One store was at one end of the U , one in the middle and the other store at the other end of the U. I parked in the middle of the U so as to be in short walking distance from each store in case I needed to drop bags off before I hit the last store, or Target.
The girls were pretty good. At the first store, or Mervyn’s, Lilah found a marble and it kept her and Eden occupied as I waited in line.
Then we went to see about shoes for Lilah, and she lost her marble, so she got upset before we went to Target. She was “tired” so I told her as long as Eden continued to behave she could be in the shopping cart. Eden was pretty good, but she did knock a few items over that were on low display shelves. Luckily nothing was breakable.
I left Target after getting most of what a needed and a couple of things  that I wanted.
I started to go to the side parking lot and then the the front left wheel stops working and cart stops. I thought that something was stuck in the wheel. I tried to pull the cart, but that wasn’t working and I realize, duh, there was a locking mechanism on the cart so you don’t take it off the property. My car was not viewable where I was with the cart. I had one isle to go and then I was on the opposite side of the next isle.
I was frustrated because I was parked to the side of Target, rather than the front of Target where the main parking is for Target.
I debated on what to do. I had to much stuff to take my children and my bags to the car easily, otherwise I would have left the cart inside the store.
I brought Eden and did a quick run to the car and then I went back for Lilah to get the other half of our things and her. I’m sure the couple cars that drove by were wondering why a little girl was being left in the parking lot.
I am also a person who always, except on those very lazy or rainy days, puts her cart in the designated areas but the wheels would not unlock so I just put the cart out of the way of traffic. Lilah ask why we were leaving it there and even had a little bit of concern in her voice, it was kinda cute.

It was so annoying in the end. I was in the same parking lot as the store and no farther, if not a shorter distance,  than what their parking lot goes in to the front of their store and I couldn’t get to my car! I probably could have taken Lilah out instead on leaving her. I was able to see her from where I was parked. But if I had tried to take all the stuff and the girls I wouldn’t have had a hand to hold for two girls who tend to wander away from me while we’re walking.

It was fun. Carts with locking wheels are a blast.

Today was Lilah’s second gymnastics class. Last week she was great. She stood in line and listened and even sat when all the other kids were standing, though by sitting she stayed in her one spot instead of moving forward in the line.
She let her teacher do the roll-overs with her and she tried so hard when it came to doing a big jump on the trampoline.

Today was not the same. She didn’t want to wake up from her nap. I tickled her to cheer her up which worked short term but she continued to whine as we got ready.
Once there she didn’t want to do the warm-up stretches so I tried to direct and help her since she was in the back away from the teacher.
Then once in line to do things she decided she would cry. It was frustrating. I helped her a couple of times to do the roll-overs to the kart wheels and each time she would cry once I left her. Then I just decided I’d take her home.
It reminded me too much of her dance class towards the end, when I had to keep encouraging her to go to dance each week and then once there to dance.
It’s no fun if you have to make them do it and if you have to hold their hand and continually encourage them. I fell like it’s her wanting to get my attention, but rather than do it at home than in a class.

I’ve decided if she’s not wanting to go on her own free will, I’m not going to take her. I wanted this to be fun and I want her to want to go.
I feel like her whining is just a way to get attention and I’d rather give her attention for the positive things she does not for whining about a class.

I just get so stressed with her neediness. She’s fine one week and then the next she’s crying and whining for me. I could tell that she was genuinely upset, compared to acting, but it was just frustrating that she did this her second time there. If it had happened last week I’d probably be a little more sympathetic.

Tonight we practiced the roll-overs and the kart wheels they did today at home. She seemed to have fun and I tried to show her some patience. I want to encourage her to not need me while in class. So we may have to try to get there early next week and see if talking to her teacher helps her feel more comfortable again.

If I can’t find patience for her in gymnastics and if she doesn’t start wanting to do it, Jon might have to come home early and take her and we’ll see if his patience pays off.