So, tonight was grocery night. With the rain, Josh was home from work rather early and even picked up one of my favorite dinners, pad thai, on his way home. It also happened to be one of my nights off from work, too, so despite the rain I made our list and clipped our coupons and headed out.
Guess which enterprising young man came along, even though he'd already been to work with Daddy today. One trip out was not enough, apparently. He was dancing at the back door saying, "I'na come too! I'na come too!"
Though not necessarily a fun addition to my shopping trip (he does talk the whole time, you know, usually begging for things we either already have or don't really need), I agreed he could tag along. Cue bright smile and happy laughter, from him of course. Mommy just kind of shrugged her shoulders and said whatever.
So, we spent a few hours picking up groceries to last us for a week or so. We also made the requisite stop in the toy department just to look (he knows we only look, we don't buy unless it's a special occasion like a birthday or holiday). We also test drove big boy bikes (with training wheels, of course) and made vague promises about his upcoming birthday in the fall. And then we shopped some more. He alternated pushing the cart, riding on the rails of the cart while I pushed it, and dancing along the aisles pointing at sweets and treats. Sounds pretty typical, right?
So then we get to the end of our trip. Our last stop is through the fresh produce area. I was bagging up some red delicious apples, a request from Connor after our last trip to Chick-fil-a where he discovered the fruit cup is better than the waffle fries (can't say that I disagree with him there). So I'm bagging up red apples, which is what he said he wanted, when I hear a big crunch and turn around.
Apparently we were also buying golden delicious apples. Or if we weren't planning on it, we were going to now. The four-year old was going in for what looked to be his third giant bite out of the side of a shiny golden delicious apple, one obviously yet to be paid for.
Thus began the conversation about how we don't eat food off the shelves or open up packages, that we have to wait at least until we're in the car before we start eating our groceries because that will mean we have already paid for everything. We've had the conversation many times before. And he's never actually been guilty of it before, just of trying to open a package (think cookies or Hot Wheels cars) or grab a drink out of the refrigerated case at the end of the aisles.
I guess I should look on the bright side. At least, if he was going to make me buy him something because he opened it, it was something that was actually healthy and good for him. That makes it a little bit better. Right?
