um, handbook please?

Today started out just me and the littlest boys. After going to story time at the local library we headed into town for more errands. We had to stop by Value Village because there is a program at church on Wednesday night and I wanted to get some old, vintage looking frames for some pictures I took to display. So we go into the store and Gage of course wakes up and shortly after that he starts to cry, his hungry cry. I find some frames, not all I need, but some. I throw them in the cart and Emmett patiently walks up to the register with me where I quickly pay and get the heck out of there. We walk across the parking lot, hand in hand, and I load M into his carseat. As I am strapping him in I notice that he is chewing something. Before I have time to have him open his mouth, so I can see what it is, he swallows. So I nicely ask him, "what are you eating Emmett?" He gives me this look, the one that only a mother knows, and he seals his lips. Meanwhile Gage is still hungry so I grab him and start to feed him in the front seat. I am still asking Emmett what he ate, still being calm, and he is still being completely silent.

Gage finishes eating and I put him in his car seat. I ask Emmett again and he doesn't tell me. I then try to bribe him by telling him he can't eat the chips in his lunch box (remember it's Monday, the day he gets a lunch box lunch like the other kids) until he tells mommy what was in his mouth. This doesn't work. He holds onto his chips and doesn't seem to care that he can't open and eat them.

We stop by my Grandma's for a minute and before we go in I sit in the car by him and I hold him and I patiently talk to him about what was in his mouth. I ask him to tell me where he got it and he doesn't say I word. I ask him if it was in the store? He doesn't answer. I ask him if it was in the car. He doesn't answer again. His bottom lip starts to quiver. I remind him that I am not mad, I just need to know what he put in his mouth. He needs to ask mommy first...We go into my Grandma's and try to forget the situation for a moment. I change Gage's diaper (that was the purpose of the stop) and Grandma gives Emmett a treat for the car and we get back on the road. I bribe him again. It doesn't work, again. He doesn't seem to care if he eats treats or chips.

We pick up Adelle from school and come home. We read books and he goes down for nap. After nap he wakes up and grabs his bag of chips, still unopened. He comes and sits on my lap and starts to cry. I comfort him and he holds up his chips as if to say, "please let me eat them now." I ask him if he wants to whisper what he put in his mouth in my ear. He shakes his head. It is almost time to go get Braxton from school. I go and get Emmett's shoes and coat and I am helping him put them on when all of a sudden, chips in hand, he quietly admits without any coercing from me, "the floor at the store." "The store," I say, "you ate something that you got on the floor at the store." "Yes," he whispers.

I am so happy. I smile and tell him he is a very good boy for telling mommy the truth. I am so happy. Victory! Him telling me what he put in his mouth was huge. I seriously was beginning to think he was never going to tell me and I would never know and that would drive me crazy. Now at least I know. I feel better. I still sometimes feel like I need a handbook to explain this whole mothering thing to me, step by step, but at least today I know that my little boy told me the truth, and that's hard to do sometimes.

When Braxton got home me and all of the kids were reading some books on the couch. One of the books at the end said something like, "if you are an artist, shout it out loud for the whole world to hear." The next thing I know Braxton has opened the back sliding door and is shouting at the top of his lungs, "I am an artist!" Then Adelle goes and does exactly what her big brother just did. Next it's my turn. I go and open the door and as loud as I can I yell, "I am the best mom in the whole world!" The kids crack up laughing. Then Emmett goes and screams, "I am the best Emmett!"
If you have never done that, you should, it's actually really empowering ;) 

So there you have it.
My name is Andrea.
I have 4 kids, one of which ate something (he said it was a cherry??) off the floor today at Value Village.
I am the best mom in the whole world!