the epitome of motherhood grace and the re-loved suitcase

Remember this vintage suitcase I posted about a few weeks ago?



I've been seeing painted suitcases and trunks a lot lately and I knew this cool piece, which I've had since high school, had more life left in it. And, like most girls I have a slight obsession with jewelry which always poses a problem for storage...

Wanting something unique that was easily accessible and where I could have my earrings side by side (don't you hate being 10 mins late all because you were searching for the match?) and something where I could hang my necklaces...

This is what I came up with:

painted the hardware a metallic gold

I added cork to the inside door for my earrings and pins...

Meanwhile, I had a near breakdown last Friday and I have to share my story in hopes fellow moms out there will tell me they have been there....and reassure me that I am not turning into the mother they feature on 60 minutes who's child runs around barefoot in the middle of a trailer park looking gaunt and in need of a bath yesterday.  Because, that is how I felt on Friday.  When I was shopping at Wal-Mart.  Here goes:

I have not had to leave a store as a result of Leila being upset since she was an infant.  And even then, if I had to leave a store it was because she was hungry, tired or had gas.  Simple as that.

I had to run out to the store on Friday to grab some last minute essentials: milk, diapers etc.  And, it seems since I have had a child I have become a Wal-Mart shopper (gasp!)...I would have never thought the day would come but let's face it....it is convenient and Leila's diapers and organic whole milk are a heck of a lot cheaper.  So, off we went for what was supposed to be a quick 15 min shopping trip.

It started when she didn't want to sit in the cart.  After some whining, I finally got her to sit down.  Not two minutes later she was telling me she wanted to take her shoes off.  Now, they are velcro and I thought they were hurting her...no big deal, I took them off.  30 seconds later, she was standing up, refusing to sit...now wanting to get into the "main" cart.

Fine, this was not a battle I wanted to fight with her.  So, my shoeless toddler is now in the "main" cart refusing to sit down and she is looking every bit of what makes me cringe when I see this same scenario.  But, now she is crying because I have told her that if she doesn't sit down she is going to fall.  And she does fall.  She is screaming, crying, whimpering (in that order) over and over again.  A crescendo effect my daughter is providing the shoppers.  People are beginning to look at me and when I look at them directly as if to say "what are you looking at?" they quickly look away.

We are getting close to the end of shopping and my patience is thin and I am frustrated.  Things are piled around her and she now wants to get out (we are by the fish section).  "OK, but we have to put your shoes back on."  "No."  This went on for a few minutes.  Now, I was starting to lose it...fine walk around Wal-Mart without any shoes on.  This is a new low.  I put her down and she giggled, taunting me.  She loved this no shoe thing at the store while I thought I was going to vomit.  I picked her back up and told her again, "It is fine if you want to walk, but we have to put your shoes on." 

SCREAMING.  I mean, top of your lungs screaming.  I tried to pick her up and push the cart with one hand but she refused to let me prop her on my hip.  Moms, you know this trick right?  By the time I maneuvered my way to check out I basically was holding her on my side with her body perpendicular and head upside down, no shoes on, screaming and wailing.  I rounded the corner to check out and there was a lady in front of me with her 15ish year old daughter (both of them pretty much laughing) as if the mom is thinking "oh, been there, done that."  But, the last thing I needed was for her to blatantly be humored by my situation.  One look at me and they both stopped smiling, but instead stood there gawking.  Really people?  I wanted the mom to be sympathetic and let me check out before her and get the heck out of there.

By this point I was exhausted.  Leila was exhausted.  When I got her out of the store I gently told her I was going to now put her shoes back on... and she let me.  We got into the car and I sat in the front seat asking her why she can't listen to mama and do as I say (pretty much talking to myself)...And I will be honest, I cried.  Okay, I cried a lot.  Not sure where it came from but in between tears I heard a quiet little voice in the back say:  "sauweee Mama." 

And that was all I needed to hear....who really could be upset with this girl?  Here she is with her daddy over the weekend. 

So, what's your coping tool?  I wish I could be that mom who just laughs it off and sees the humor in the situation but then I feel like I am just telling our little girl it is OK to behave this way?  Seriously, I looked like a train wreck and would like to not end up in tears the next time!