Mama Loves a Good Excuse to Go to Target, Part 2

Livers' love affair with lamps sent us back to Target again. This time she decided that the wall lamp was a jungle gym, and she nearly ripped it completely out of the drywall by trying to hang on it. Luckily all that was needed were some drywall screws to secure the lamp in place, but it came pretty close to being a lost cause. We didn't actually go to Target for those. We went to Home Depot. But since the two are so close, I figured we could just stop on in and see what was happening.

Seriously, it would behoove me to find a part-time job so that I could finance my habit. I at least walked in with a list of things I needed, and I did a decent job of sticking to it. Of course I just HAD to get Livers some clothes, because it's approximately the temperature of the sun here, and Target has some cutie things for little girls. I also had to replace a rug in my office. I should have foreseen that black dogs who go outside a lot to play + cream shag rug = ground in, dog-shaped dirt marks everywhere. I did good. They actually had the same rug...in black. So I got it. Now you have to look really hard to FIND the dogs on the rug. I also got Livers a couple of bathing suits. One of them actually has blow-up floats in it along with SPF 50, a necessity for my milky-skinned little lady. I tried to find beer there for J, but they didn't have any. I found that weird, since they have a HUGE wine selection. By the time we were done erranding I was too flippin' hot to pick up his Sammy Adams. It was 11:45 and already 95 degrees, and the glasses, once again, would NOT stay on my nose to save my life. I really must look like a nerd. At least I don't wear the mom jeans.

After lunch I put up the reinforcers for the lamp. Livers was still in her high chair watching me (the best place, seeing as she would be all over me trying to get to the lamp), and she wanted out bad. She started fussing, which is annoying enough except I dropped a screw behind our sectional sofa, which is about near impossible to move. I swear kids have a radar for knowing when you're frustrated, because that's when they turn it up a couple dozen notches. She kept fussing and fussing, and I got madder and madder trying to fish out this stupid screw, until finally I said "Livers, SHUT UP!!!!" Of course all that served to do was make her scream louder and me feel like complete crap. I had promised myself that I would NEVER tell her to shut up, even if she really needed to, and I only made it 17 months. I felt like such a terrible parent. I'm promising myself now that I will not do this again and will ask God for massive amounts of help in keeping my temper and patience in check, because trust me, it is a struggle sometimes.

That is pretty much it for the day's events. It was all mundane from there. Tomorrow we're going to the lake for the first time, which ought to be an experience and a headache. Any suggestions on keeping a VERY active toddler out of trouble near a large body of water???