A Long, Long, Long Trip to Target

Have you been to Target recently?
I have, or shall I say, "we" have. I remember learning in college about high frequency sight words, how children are able to "read" (memorize) words that they see often. How sad is it that Mo can read Target, BJs, & Chick Fil A? What does that say about the frequency she is exposed to these words?
Anyway, two days ago Mo woke up from her nap, and uttered the words she usually does when she first wakes up and sees me.
She say: "Where are we going today mommy?"
Everyday, twice a day, initial wake up in the morning and then when she wakes up from her nap, I have to answer the question. Heaven forbid I have nothing planned or utter the phrase "Let's stay home!"Gasp, it's almost blasphemous here!
We must go somewhere. She suggested going to Target, however the time, nearly five combined with the weather, heavy rain, prevented us from that trip. In an effort to calm her dismay from not getting to go to Target immediately, I promised her a trip the very next day after our weekly trip to our community library for Story Hour.
She first wanted to skip Story Hour and then attempted to barter: First Target then Story Hour. Finally, she agreed we could go to Story Hour and then Target.
Honestly, I did need to make the trip. The weather appears to have finally made the turn into springtime, which means occasional days of nearly 90 degree weather combined with rainy days in the 50's and nice clear blue sky days of 70 and a wardrobe to match. So off to Target we went to start the spring shopping season!
Mo promised me that once she was three she would give up the diapers, and lo and behold the Monday after her third birthday she did just that. She gave up the diapers for the "big girl panties". Yesterday, we were day 9 in. She had yet to use anything successfully except her own little potty and had not had an accident for four days.
I was confident as I secured Maeve and Mo into their car seats that we could make it to Target for our usual forty minute shopping trip with little to no issue. I had a few pairs of extra undies and pants in the diaper bag and had her little collapsible seat in a zip lock bag too.
I should have turned around when she shouted "I have to pee" while we were in line at BJs for gas.
I zipped the car out of line, sped through the parking lot to a space near Target and ran to the trunk to get her "portable potty" ready.
She then said: "Umm, I don't have to go anymore."
I should have went home.
Nope! I decided to forge on...on to Target we went. I piled the girls and the loaded diaper bag into the cart.
No sooner did we make past the dollar spot, did Mo mutter: "I have to pee, Mom".
Luckily, the bathroom was close by. I pushed the actual cart into the bathroom, managing to smush Maeve's fingers between the door, poor baby! As she's crying, I zip into the handicap stall. Out I pull the plastic potty cover, and plop Mo on.
She says again: "I don't have to go".
I respond, "Try! If you go, I'll let you pick something from the dollar spot."
She tries, she goes, Yippee!!
I get excited, give her a high five, we flush, wash our hands, and head out back to Target. She chooses a flower watering can, and off we go.
I'm thinking to myself, "Wow, what an awesome job she is doing! I can't believe that she just was able to use a real toilet. We should be able to shop easily now since she's done! What a relief!"
After perusing the women's clothes, we head to the shoes. We find this little number and as we're fastening the Velcro, I hear
"Mommy, I gotta go potty again!".
I tell her, "No worries" as we zip back to the bathroom again, this time with a few things in the cart.
I watch Maeve's fingers as we enter the door and back into the handicap stall we go.
She pees, I applaud, we wash, and off to shop some more!
She keeps talking about wanting Toy Story Pajamas, so we search the little boys section for those. Not two minutes later, "mom, I have to pee!"
SERIOUSLY?
Back we run, but this time apparently not quick enough. Luckily, I've got back up panties & pants so we're set. She finishes in the potty, we wash, and back to shop again.
We are able to shop for clothes, picking out some adorable skirts and shorts and tops,and then we head over the toys. I confess, I am not above bribery- be it lollipops or in this case, time looking at toys. Can you guess what happened next?
Yup, back to the bathroom for round 4.
I decided that four trips to the bathroom was my limit. From there we checked out and headed home.
Once in the door, she screamed "I have to go potty" raced up the stairs while I balanced her sister and the bags in my arms. By the time I got upstairs to meet her, I was too late. She was bottomless, walking into her room to get new pants & panties.
How this child had anything left in her bladder is beyond me.
What a long, strange trip it was to Target. I remember looking at the clock in the car when we piled in to go home and did a double take, not believing we had been in there for over an hour and a half.
I do have to commend Target for their well cleaned and maintained bathrooms.
Bravo!