Someone bit me in the checkout line

I was standing in line to pay and got bit! I was at Ikea, does that detail matter? On a whim, I hopped in the van, gassed up, and hit the road. On the way, I decided to call Katie and have her meet me there since I had this sudden urge to buy something big and heavy. She's skinny, but she's strong. Lucky for me she was free and able to meet up at Ikea! Of  course she brought her cute little guy, Henry. He has 4 or 5 teeth now. A month ago he didn't have any. I was holding him and getting some really good hugs while we stood in the checkout line and then YOUCH! The kid bit me. I guess I didn't mind too much.   

Our trip to Ikea wasn't without incident, of course, I wouldn't be me if I had an uneventful day. Libby wanted to go into the ball pit. Ikea offers free child care for one hour and they have a nice play room with a huge ball pit. Libby has never been big enough to go in, but we tried today to see if she grew enough. She did! 37" is the minimum and she made it! First time in the ball pit! So exciting! We got our matching identification wristbands and  she went on in with a great big grin on her face. Ok, big girl, see you in an hour. 

My how time flies when you are free of all children and running through the Ikea maze. Wheeee! Katie called me when she arrived; Libby had been in the pit for 20 minutes or so. I told Katie that I left her in the child care and I was upstairs in the kitchen section. Katie looked in and said, "Mom, she's crying." 

Katie said Libby was just standing there in the play area looking sad and pouting. Nobody was paying any attention to her. Libby turned and saw Katie through the window and really started crying. She wanted outa there! Katie couldn't get her out since I am the one who had the matching wristband. I ran wildly through the store back to the child pit. I was farther back in the store than I thought I was.  

I got her out of there as quickly as I could, she had been in for 30 minutes. I figured she was hurt; I swear, this kid is always getting creamed on playground by bigger wilder kids. I asked her if she was hurt and she said between sobs that her feelings were hurt. Why? "Gracie wasn't there." Ohhhh no. Big sister is at school!  Libby calmed down and decided to shop with us instead of staying in the child care. I don't think they wanted her back anyway. Next time we'll bring her sister.

I showed Katie the three display items of the things I was going to buy. She approved, mostly. We had lunch and then went to check out. I was really pushing it for time. I had to get back home to pick up the kids from their schools. 

I bought everything I needed, after being bitten. Then we sat and waited for the big kitchen cabinet to be loaded onto a cart for me from the back room. I put the van in the loading zone and tried to pull the boxes off of the cart and put them into the van. I couldn't budge them! Super-Katie to the rescue! She just put the boxes in the van like they were no big deal. I don't know how she does it with those skinny little arms!

Luckily, I pulled into town just in time to pull up in front of the high school and not leave the teenager wondering if I've forgotten her yet again. Oddly enough, this is much more difficult to do when I have all afternoon free.  Went to pick up the kindergartener too, and all was well. 

That reminds me, they decided to let Kindergarten out at 2:30 now instead of 2:45 because of the increase in class size. This makes no sense to me, but it does make it difficult to pick up both kids at different schools at the same time. I told Gracie they are giving her an extra recess at the end of the day. She totally bought it! Score one for Mom!

Anyway, I pulled into the driveway with a van full of kids and Ikea merchandise.  My next door neighbor pulled into her driveway too. Sweet! I hollered, "Hey, come over! Yes, right now. Come're!"  Then I opened the trunk and said, "Thanks for coming to help me unload these really heavy boxes. Just put them in the house."  She said I was kinda tricky but she was more than happy to help and she moved those boxes in like they were nothing. I tried to help but couldn't lift anything. I think I hurt my shoulder trying. Really, it still hurts. 

Except for being bitten on one shoulder and straining the other one trying to be as strong as normal people, it was a great day. Libby almost had a great day too! It was really nice to have people around when I really needed them. I don't know how I thought I was going to load and unload my van. Apparently, I wasn't thinking. Totally lucked out! Yay!