Queen of the Aisles

Motherhood has changed me in many ways.  My chest is larger, I'm suddenly more anxious about things like mercury, I'm more sympathetic, and I inexplicably cry at every Christmas song that mentions the baby Jesus....which is a lot of them.  Yet, never would I have thought that Motherhood would change my feelings toward the supermarket.  You see, I used to come home from the market as grumpy as Jack Nicholson's right buttock.  But now?  Now, the grocery store has turned into a magical, relaxing oasis, and I come home rejuvenated.    

Grocery shopping with Madeline is virtually impossible unless Eric is with me.  We live in a city, and it's a small hike to the parking lot from our apartment building.  Therefore, when I go grocery shopping, I have to pull my car up to the front door of our building, unload everything quickly, move my car back to the parking lot, and then walk back to the building. 

 That poses a serious problem when you have an infant in the back seat of your car.  I can't leave Madeline in the car while I bring the groceries inside because obviously I don't want the corner people to steal her.  On the other hand, I can't leave her in the apartment while I run out to the car to get more groceries, or to move it to the parking lot, because the cat might decide to try to eat her.  Conundrum!  Unless I'm only picking up a few small things that I can throw in the bottom of her stroller, grocery shopping with Maddie is more trouble than it's worth.  

Therefore, I've started going grocery shopping when Eric gets home from work and he can watch her. I end up perusing the aisles of Hannaford alone, and boy is it glamorous!  (Sometimes I go the Ghetto Basket down the street, but usually that makes me want to punch myself in the face repeatedly...so I try to avoid it whenever possible.)  And therein lies the appeal....I get a whole hour to myself!  

Tonight was doubly awesome because the was store was empty.  (Everyone must still be in a food comma from Thanksgiving.)  I also swung by Dunkin Donuts on my way so that I could enjoy a  gingerbread latte while basking in the luxury of grocery shopping.  I had never had a gingerbread latte until today.  Clearly, I've been a moron because they are amazing!!  I like them even more than the pumpkin lattes, and the pumpkin lattes make my heart go pitter-patter, thump-thump-thump.  

Bonus?  Our refrigerator is now full of food again.  I can eat lunch tomorrow!   

This pretty much sums it up...