Thank You, Pathmark

Today, I needed to go out and buy groceries.

"With two children under the age of 4? By yourself?!  It has never been done … by you!"

Well, yes, this is true.  It was going to be a new experience for me.  But I was comforted in knowing that other people did this, even did this with MORE THAN 2 CHILDREN, and they were able to survive and tell the story.  So I set out with a plan in mind:

1.  I needed a grocery store in my direct vicinity that has grocery carts with a fun toddler/kid attachment, preferably something with a steering wheel.  I knew that grocery stores had such contraptions, but I did not know which one so I would need to scope out a few stores before I committed.

2.  This grocery store could not have waist-high metal poles that would prevent carts from leaving the front area of the store.  If I shopped at such a store, I would then have to hold my daughter's hand while shouldering several bags of groceries and Isaac while crossing a parking lot and preventing anyone from hitting us with a car or anyone from running away from me.  Not cool.

I drove around for 15 minutes until I found a Pathmark that I had previously never visited, yet was within 10 minutes of my house (I have 5 grocery stores within 15 minutes of my house, no kidding).  As I drove slowly by the shopping cart holding area, I saw something that looked suspiciously like a fun kid attachment to a grocery cart.  I made another drive-by and confirmed my suspicions.  With Isaac strapped to me in a baby carrier and Evie dancing/walking beside me, we approached this shopping cart with hesitation.  WOW!  Turns out it was a rocket ship two-seater, complete with steering wheels and a top and bottom basket.  Fun for kids, great for moms!

Evie LOVED IT.  We wheeled around the grocery store with exclamations of "1, 2, 3, BLAST OFF!!" trailing us as we flew from aisle to aisle, happily picking up items from our grocery list along the way.  There was also a great deal of expert steering wheel maneuvering as well.  Evie was the most well-behaved in a grocery store trip that I had ever seen.  Cherry on top:  Isaac slept the whole time in the baby carrier.  Mama was shopping with a smile!

I stood in line, satisfied with a stress-free, fuss-free shopping trip almost completed.  I suddenly had the thought to get out my Pathmark discount card from my wallet--which I NEVER do, I usually wait to pull out my wallet after the groceries start getting bagged.  I discovered I could pull out my Pathmark card because, my wallet WAS NOT IN MY BAG.  I had forgotten to replace my wallet after I pulled it out to buy some diaper training pants online this morning (another piece of equipment in my arsenal of determination to potty train Evie).  I am standing there in line, both children quiet but with very early signs of restlessness and a shopping cart full of groceries and no way to pay for them.  I am sure all you mothers out there have a similar story, right?  Okay, just say you do to make me feel better.

After this, everything began to happen in a fast-forward type of reality.  Highlights:  left the rocket ship at customer service, threw the kids in the car and raced home for my wallet.  Drove at highly inappropriate speeds back to the store and nursed Isaac while in the parking lot to prevent crying while Evie roamed the car.  Retrieved rocket ship, made our purchases, and finally made our way home.

With my lapse of sensible thinking, our shopping trip took an extra 45 minutes.  However, there was no screaming, no fussing or crying through the entire experience.  And for this, I give all the credit to Pathmark and their ingenious idea to put a rocket ship on a shopping cart.

Pathmark, Your prices are consistently higher than other stores but you have great selection, fresh produce, and MOST IMPORTANTLY:  YOU HAVE A ROCKET SHIP FOR MY TODDLER.  I will be shopping at your store again.