If you are going to have a full blown meltdown, you might as well do so in the middle of Trader Joe's. Otherwise how else will the quiet customers know how abused and  cruel your mother is?

I am not a fan of the child size shopping carts that Trader Joe's supplies.  Sure they're cute but they're also a hazard when added to the herd that is my entourage. Mac gleefully put the cart in X-Man's hands who promptly charged into the flower display. It went down hill from there.  Unless your plan involves leaving your cart in the checkout line, with baby still buckled in, to chase a toddler down the aisle while he screams "Nooooo Mommy!!!!!"

It's a nice touch to thrash about while your mother attempts to purchase thank you flowers for teachers. Not being new to this game, I have the ability to dig my card out, swipe it and return it while keeping a toddler in lockdown.  I even manage to keep a hand over his mouth while he screams, which infuriates him, I know because he licks my hand to express his rage.

The tantruming continued all the way to the car and in the car. At one point I had to take the boy's face in my hands and say firmly "I don't care how long it takes, you have to be buckled in your seat."  At this point a little voice said " Excuse me"  I turned to see a little old lady standing behind me. "I know it doesn't seem like it but you are a good mom. I was telling the checker that you have a lot good tactics. Many more than I had in my day."

I smiled and said "Thank you." I didn't add that after spending three minutes wrestling X-Man into his car seat I figured out that at least part of his hysteria had to do with the fact that he had thrashed himself out of his shoe back in the store. Somedays you just take what you can get.