This week, we decided to head to Aberdeen for a little family date after work and daycare. Chase and I usually try to do our shopping without the kids, but we realized they need to start getting used to being out in public and practicing good behavior. So, off to Walmart we went!
The older I get, the less I enjoy going into Walmart. When you’re a kid or a young adult, all the choices feel exciting and fun. Now, as an adult, I’m like, “Oh look… more decisions for me to make.” I hate decisions, and Walmart is full of them.
Anyway, the girls were excited, and honestly, so were we. There’s nothing better than coming home to a full fridge, and I’m sure most families would agree. I was also looking forward to picking up a few beauty products I don’t usually buy for myself. Violet of course had a list for us, poptarts, candy, juice box… while Autumn was excited to be along for the ride.
There are so many stages in your kids’ lives to love, but this one might be my favorite, it’s the one that makes me smile the most. Their conversations with us in the car are some of the best parts of our day. They’re so fun to listen to, even when they don’t fully make sense. There’s something so special about hearing their little thoughts out loud, the way their minds work, and how they try to piece together the world around them.
Sometimes it’s silly, sometimes it’s completely random, and sometimes it’s surprisingly thoughtful, but every bit of it is meaningful. Listening to their little voices and the things they come up with just melts Chase and me. It’s such a simple thing, but it’s a stage we know we’ll miss someday, so we’re soaking up every conversation while we can.
On the way there, we talked about where to eat supper, but I was just too tired for a sit-down restaurant. Anyone with toddlers knows it’s not always as relaxing as it sounds to dine out in a new place. So, Dairy Queen it was! In my opinion, the Groton DQ is the best around and has been for a long time. My grandma took my dad and his siblings there growing up, my parents took us after doctor appointments, and now I’m carrying on that tradition of amazing sweet treats with my girls. Everyone was happy with their meal, hands down better than McDonald’s.
When we got to Walmart, I noticed something about myself that wasn’t there before we had kids. My nerves tense up, and I’m extremely aware of everyone around me. People say that once you become a mom, you’ll worry for the rest of your life, and I get that, but it’s the little things you don’t expect. Is that lady going to try to pick Autumn up because she says she’s so cute? Has that man been in every aisle we’ve been in? I catch myself side-eyeing everyone and making sure I’m never too far from the cart. Of course, everything is fine, but I can’t help staying on guard, like a mama lion in those situations. You won’t get it until you become a parent, but the animistic feeling of protecting your children is probably one of the most powerful things you will ever feel in life.
The girls did great, better than I expected, and we came out with most of what was on our list. Chase got eight bottles of Diablo sauce, and this pregnant mama finally got the donuts I’d been craving all week. On the way home, we even stopped back at DQ to treat the girls to a kid cone. We knew it would be messy, but the looks on their faces were worth every drop of spilled ice cream. (I gotta clean the car anyways.)
It’s moments like this that may not seem like much, but they really are. I’m proud of our girls for being on their best behavior, and I’m proud of Chase and me as parents for stepping outside our comfort zone, even knowing it would make shopping a little more stressful. They have to start coming with us eventually, and the sooner they do, the better they’ll get.
In the end, it wasn’t really about the shopping or even the ice cream, it was about showing up as a family and learning together. These small, everyday outings are where the growth happens, for all of us. The girls are learning how to navigate the world, and we’re learning how to guide them through it with patience (and a little grace for ourselves, too). It may not always be easy, but it’s worth it, and it’s these simple nights that will stick with us the longest.
