Genius!!

Sometimes, I'm so good and so thoughtful that even surprise myself.  Yesterday was one of those days.  I got home from work with A LOT to do.  Max was already fussy, so we played for a few minutes, then I put him down for a nap.  I started working and when Gabe got home from school, I got him started on his homework and we worked together.

Meanwhile, Max never fell asleep.  This was very sad news for several reasons- 1) He was tired 2) He is still fighting a cold 3) I needed to run to the grocery store and I had a couple other errands that needed running and a fussy baby would NOT make that fun 4) Chad and I were going on a date so we needed him well-behaved for the sitter.  Even though I repeated all these reasons to Max, he did not sleep.

So once Gabe and I were done with work, and I couldn't put off the grocery store one minute longer (we had already eaten every single breakfast, lunch, and dinner option that I could scrounge together from our pantry) I loaded up both boys for something that wears this pregnant woman down quite quickly. I decided to combine all my errands into one and go to Wal-mart, along 38497593487 other people, and just make it a one-stop shop. AND then my GREAT idea hit... while I was putting Max's shoes on his feet, I had Gabe sneak over to the Christmas tree and pick 2 candy canes off of the tree and put them in Max's bag.  Genius!  Once we got to the store, I'd hand each boy a candy cane, we'd fly through my list, and be done before they could even finish.  The best part is that we have Gobstopper candy canes, which the boys LOVE.

It worked perfectly.  We got our cart, manned our positions, I handed out the "distraction" and we were off.

And then it backfired:





There was green everywhere.  Dripping down his chin, arms, hands, and chest.  Sopping the cart, smeared on my shirt, rubbed on Gabe's noes and glasses, streaked over the groceries, covering his white sleeves, and needless to say, all over Max's face.  It took 10 wipes to get him remotely cleaned up, just so we could go checkout and he still looked like the grinch.  One man even stopped me, appalled, and in no way finding the situation humorous and said "what IS he eating?"  And when I told him, he looked me in the eye and said "awful, that's awful" and marched off.  It was a 50 year old man, I kid you not!

Needless to say, I will pick my shopping tools better next time- thinking through all the ramifications and weighing my options.  And will someone please remind me that colored candy canes will not be a good idea, as long as we have children under the age of 8. Period. Sheesh!