Liberated!!

As I dreaded another Sunday, without Mike, all by myself with the kiddos and a prisoner to the house, I mentioned to Mike, as he was leaving at his usual noon time today to head to work, "I think I might actually try and go to Lowe's with all of them" He said, 'I think that's great!! Get out, that would be good for you!'
Truly, I wanted to punch him in the face, he said it so light heartily, like 'Hey, great idea...it is no big deal to take an 8 month old with a portable oxygen tank, a 2 year old and a 3 year old, out and about all by yourself!!' ~sigh~
So, here we go... I pull the thing-a-mu-jiggy down from the closet (the harness that allows you to strap your baby to your chest - haven't used it since Jett was an infant) and load everyone in the car. I am so excited on my way to Lowe's, there are so many projects I want to do around the house and just haven't been able to do any of them for this very reason... too hard to take everyone out by myself.
As we get to Lowe's, Jett and Mikah in the basket and Presley strapped to my chest, I am trying to be somewhat quick because I never know when the whole outing can go south. I brought the emergency gummy bears for the first melt down, but beyond that, I will be outta luck.
As we stroll the aisles I get about a gazillion comments 'Wow, you are one busy mommy', to 'Jeez, you sure have your hands full!', and then of course, my favorite is when they ask 'What are their ages?', I have no doubt this question derives from the curiosity as to just how insane Mike and I really were, when planning this family. When I answer '3 years, 2 years and 8 months' I feel certain the insanity is confirmed in most of their minds. LOL!
Any hoo, through the store we go, Mikah and Jett loving all the attention and Mommy loving that I am getting to finally pick out some patio stones for a project in the back yard that I have been wanting to do.
All in all, it went pretty well...of course checking out is always embarrassing. Am I the only mommy who hands their children half the store just to keep them happy? I know the cashier must despise me as I hand her a dozen things at check out and say 'We won't be needing these now'.
I felt liberated on the way home, braving this task and having it go well. Now I know it can be done and will be doing it much more often!!
However, as I am basking in the glory of my success on the way home, I realize after loading all the kids back into the car, I drove off and never went through the pick up to have them load the patio stones I had purchased... ARG!