saved by Gymboree...and Dad

I was a grump most of today. I think it can be attributed to waking up earlier than I normally do. Addie woke me up early and I couldn't get back to sleep. It's as if a fireball is hovering outside our bedroom window in the morning. I'm regretting not getting the darkening shades for the master bedroom now that the sun wakes us up mighty early this time of year.

I felt surly and stir crazy for the morning; organizing and cleaning the house. I even cleaned up my sh*t pile. I knew something was up if it had came down to that. For a split second a lump formed in my throat along with the thought that I only ever feel like organizing to this level of obsessiveness when I am pregnant and nesting. My mind took the next leap of obviousness and then I quickly shook off the idea. Phew! Thank goodness I am just grumpy and tired and feeling the need to be useful today.
We had a few errands to run and decided to take the girls with us to Rockwell where they could play with Justin while I got some groceries and a birthday present for a party tomorrow. Essentially, the girls were saved by Gymboree and I'm sure Justin was happy to be rid of grumpy Gerty for an hour. Poor guy was trying to pinpoint my unhappiness all morning. I should have known better than to go to Kid Station, the toy store, with the mood I was sporting.

Even with my frumpy big T-shirt, flip flops, no makeup, and an ugly evil look in my eyes I was a beacon of light attracting all the flies that are the Kid Station employees. I walked into the store and was immediately followed and accosted by at least 5 people wearing lime green polo shirts. I was buying for a little boy in Addie's class who is turning 3 and so I wasn't really sure what I'd get. I stopped at the Toy Story 3 display, Tonka trucks, Hot wheels, and Play Dough. Every time I'd stand still for 2 seconds looking at something, a lime green fly was upon me, irritating me so much I'd walk on to the next thing. Not because I was done looking, but because I wasn't in the mood to stand there and let any of them "help" me. Help is a loose term here because usually the employees at any shopping experience in the Philippines are really unhelpful. They try hard and there are always drone after drone of retail robots trying to help you shop while I really just want to be left alone.

I found a nice display of Mega Blocks. I was standing and browsing, a big target on my back. Immediately a lime green fly descends. He stands too close to me for a second and then gestures to the wall with his hand and says "Mam, Mega Blocks, Mam". In my head I think I uttered "No sh*t Sherlock". In the end I walked away, grabbed a dump truck that looked kind of cool, paid for it, and then proceeded to instruct the store gift wrapper how to stuff paper in the open spots of the box so the third time he tried to wrap it a hole wouldn't punch through the paper. "Please come see us again" the lime green fly said as I stomped out. I promise to be nicer next time. I swear. I just wasn't myself today.
The girls were definitely saved by Gymboree. I could stomp around the mall in a silent rage while they played away happy as little clams. I should know better than to march into a Filipino robot employee situation when I am irritated. All their too happy smiles grated on my nerves. Not too mention the High School Musical soundtrack in the background. Thank goodness the lime green flies weren't singing along (as they normally are). I am so looking forward to shopping in America where I can browse and look and make my own decisions in peace. In fact, I'm even looking forward having to search around; up and down the isles looking for an employee to help me. America's distinguishing customer service will be so refreshing.