There are little circles everywhere!

Tonight I was in the middle of making meatloaf when I came to the horrible realization that I was missing an ingredient. Namely-ketchup. So, I looked down at Back Seat Girl, who had tears streaming down her face because I wouldn't let her have a cookie, and came to another horrible realization that I would have to run to the grocery store at 4:30 with a cranky Back Seat Girl. So, I picked her and the duck scrub brush she insisted on bringing along up and headed toward the wagon. At first I just meant to get the ketchup and get out of there, but then I decided that since I was already AT the grocery store, I would pick up a few things I needed to get through the week.

Apparently someone hit me over the head really hard at work today, because I forgot everything I've learned in the almost two years that I've been a parent and grabbed a basket and not a cart. Yes, that meant I would have to either carry Back Seat Girl all over the store or let her walk. I wasn't going to get too many things, but I was still in a huge hurry to get home and get the meatloaf in the oven so we could eat at a decent time. So, I started out in produce carrying her, but quickly realized I wouldn't be able to keep that up through the store. So I set her down, and she insisted on carrying the basket (after I wrestled an avacado away from her that she was insisting she put in the basket). She started carrying the basket, and it was very slow going. So I took the basket away from her. Meltdown number 1. Then I picked her up again and let her hold the basket while I carried her. That was fine until I put the ketchup in it, and then it was too heavy. So, I put her down and asked her if she could hold mommie's hand. To my amazement, she was all about it.

Things went well for about one aisle, and then we saw it: the dreaded circle. I'm sure the normal person doesn't notice them, but in every store, every sidewalk, EVERYWHERE, there are little metal circles in the floor. I don't know if they are for drains, or what, but Back Seat Girl is obsessed with them. When she finds them, she runs to them, stands on them, and says "I find a circle". And she doesn't move. Apparently the Cub has a couple in every aisle. And we found them. And stood on them. For a while.

I've had quicker trips to the grocery store.