Hungry Babies & Naughty Puppies

Today, Mara and I set out to do some shopping at Trader Joe's and Target. She was adorable in her melon-colored fleece zip-up vest and ready to rock - didn't even fight me when I put her in her car seat! I threw on some actual clothes (I think my pajama pants could walk on their own by now), gave Shermie a treat, and off we went...

Ready for Trader Joe's!

Proof of her sweetness in stores...Sunday's trip to World Market :)

Mara was excellent in TJ's... she slept almost the entire time and I got to stock up on Almond Milk (YUM - Trader Joe's plain version is the only kind I like). By the way, I was the crazy label-reader during this trip...I probably could have cut my time there in half if I didn't have to read the labels, but milk proteins lurk EVERYWHERE! Ahhh, what I do for my baby to not have a hurty belly (and for me to get some rest). Anyway, as we checked out of Trader Joe's, she began to stir and as soon as we were in the car, she was crying. Luckily, Target is in the same shopping center, so our drive wasn't far. Well, Mara was quiet for about a minute once we were inside Target, and then she started crying with the full capacity of her lungs. The last time we were in Target together, she did the same thing... I don't know what she's got against Target, but it's a huge grudge, that's for sure! Fortunately, all I was buying was diapers and window shades for the car, so I was quick, but... Mara was still crying. The. Entire. Time.

She turned it up on the 12 minute drive home...I kid you not, she sounded like the alarm when they do the tests on the T.V. I didn't know human beings could even make that noise! Good God. Nothing consoled her; in fact, my voice made her cry harder, as if she was saying, "Mom, you jerk! I know you're here and you STILL won't help me!"

I'd like to say, here, that if you ever are angry with a driver for their actions on the road, consider that they may have a screaming child in their car. Maybe it will help you give the poor soul a break...Inconsolable screams can be quite frazzling.

Once to our apartment complex, I had to make the choice of whether to bring her up with the first load of groceries or keep her in the car (at the entrance to our building)... I felt like the worse mom ever as I closed the car door on my screaming baby and ran the first bags up to the apartment...

And THEN...what should I find upon entering the door????
Sweet little Shermie AND a poopy diaper on the floor!!!!!!!!

For the very first time, Shermie got into a dirty diaper and pulled it out into the living room. I was LIVID. Not only was I stressed with my screaming baby and the shame of leaving her for a second...now I was dealing with my little dog communicating that he was pissed about being left behind via stinky dipes?? Ugh.

At the end of it all, Mara got to eat, the groceries got put away, Shermie got a spank and a 1-minute time-out, and I even got some happy smiles and gurgles from my baby girl before she took a nap (which is what she is doing now...which is why I have the time to type this. ;)

I'm going to sleep SO hard tonight................................right Mara?