WANT IT!!

Monday night Brian informed me that a couple of his players were coming over for dinner the following night. Naturally I hit up WalMart bright and early Tuesday morning to pick up a few things. With Kai changed, dressed and fed we went straight to the toy aisle. You see, going grocery shopping with a very energetic little boy who wants to run everywhere is never an easy task, so you must ALWAYS have a plan and ALWAYS have your game face on. My plan? Ohhhhhhh I had it all figured out. Go straight to the toy aisle, get him a choo-choo or 2, which he is currently OBSESSED (understatement) with, and let him live in a fantasy world with his favorite toys for 30 or so minutes. Before check-out put the toys back and leave. Bing.Bam.Boom.Easy. Gosh I'm a genius. I throw him a couple of trains and am on my way with my list. I quickly gather all the necessary items for later and head back to the toy aisle prepared to put them back on the shelves. Kai stands up in the cart like he is about to put the toys back. Awww good job buddy, just like I taught you. As he stands I see his little arms wrap completely around this particular Thomas the Train toy. His grip around this toy is slowly getting tighter and tighter...and tighter...and tighter. His arms are pretty much turning purple at this point. "Kai, buddy, we have to put the toys back so we can go home and watch Elmo" - yeah I thought I was being quick on my feet throwing Elmo at him like that. Man, I should get some sort of award for how good I am at playing mind games on my own kid. I reach my hands out for him to pass me the toy. His grip slightly loosens before a sudden turn. WAIT-HOLD UP!! What is going on? Why is he turning his back to me? He is completely back to. His head whips around quicker than a freaking cobra. Ummmm did my kid just become possessed? I'm pretty sure I saw this in the Exorcist and I did NOT like how that movie turned out. "WAAAAAAANT IT!!!" He practically screams at me. What just happened. Whose kid was that because it surely wasn't mine. Was it? Oh yes, yes it was. Why do I feel my Mom of the Year Award being ripped from my hands? "WAAAAANT IT" Oh gosh, what happened to me being quick on my feet? Where's that parenting handbook when you need it? How do I handle a "want it" situation? What chapter is that again? Page number? I probably skipped over it. Dang it. "WAAAAAAAAAAAANT IT!!!" I hear again. "No buddy we can't get that today" Who said that? Was that me? Wow I'm amazing. Mom of the Year right here ladies. Thank you. Thank you. "WAAAAAANT IT!" Did I just say "no" out loud to him or was it in my head because I'm pretty sure I told him no. Did I say it in Spanish? Wait no in Spanish is the same as it is in English. "No buddy, we can't get that today but we CAN go home and watch Elmo and eat grapes!" Yeah Lynds, like grapes are a great replacement for this train he wants. Good one. FAIL. In a state of panic I grab the train out of his hands before he could blink. I throw it back on the shelf (I think it landed on a shelf...) and make a drop dead bee line sprint for the check out line hoping and praying that a.) everything happened so fast that he didn't even notice that I took the train or b.) the thought of falling out of the cart because I'm such a fast runner keeps his mind off that train. It doesn't matter. Neither worked. Oh no, here comes the pout lip. I'm a sucker for that lip. Oh gosh here come the tears. I'm a sucker for those tears. 99% of me wants to turn back and just buy him the train. The other 1% is Brian's voice yelling at me for giving in and making an unnecessary purchase. It's not really unnecessary if it they want it right? Oh gosh what to do, what to do. Why is my cart turning? Am I going in a circle? Suddenly I'm checked out, in the car and headed home, train free. Kai is sitting in his car seat happy as can be playing with my receipt. Wow, that receipt just saved me $17 big ones. Amazing how quickly they can be distracted. I give myself a quick pat on the back for not caving in. Phew. That was close.