Tuesday Toddler Tales

I admit, I never quite understood why children were running around in dress-up clothes, some ugly outfit that isn't even close to matching or their PJs while out running errands with their mothers/caregivers, it always struck me as odd and I always thought; "why didn't she just get them dressed?".

Then, today, I got my answer.

As I was browsing Target's toddler clothing section, I came upon the most perfect leotard with attached tutu (Emily needs one for her gymnastics class tomorrow!) and saw Emily's eyes light up.  I knew it was the perfect thing and at only $12.99, how could I resist?  Emily asked to carry it, of course I obliged and I went on about my shopping.  It wasn't 3 minutes later when I realized my daughter was shoeless, pant-less, SHIRTLESS and halfway into the leotard with the entire 2nd floor clothing section grinning at her.  My instinct is to tell her she can't wear that because we haven't paid for it yet, which IS what I say to her as I struggle to get it off of her and all hell breaks loose.  She rips it out of my hands, screaming; "no mama, it's my tutu, I need to wear it, please!!!" and nearly topples out of the basket backwards and I hear women around me gasping.  *sigh* 

I contemplate my options: stand my ground, tear the leotard from her death grip and attempt to redress her as every single woman in Target shoots me daggers because my child is screaming as if I'm physically abusing her OR use the leotard as a bargaining chip, a reward for her sitting down in the basket for the remainder of the trip.

I choose B.  She's already standing there in her pull-up with the leotard halfway up her thighs and we've already been in Target an hour, getting her back in her clothes will take another hour, I'm sure of it so, I just give in and help her get it on and bundle her clothing up inside my purse.  She spends the remainder of the trip to Target swishing her tutu around and shaking her booty at me saying; "look mama, I dancing, look at me".    I imagine at this point, this is what most mothers/caregivers go through on a daily basis with their willful children and this is why they end up in Target with their child wearing last year's Halloween costume.