Is it really that "super"?

My apologies if you have clicked here looking for the REALLY BIG NEWS report. We have yet to go. A case of heartburn and an ice cream craving have woken me from my tossing and turning. Make sure to check back later for the REALLY BIG NEWS!

In the meantime, let's ponder this question. What makes the SuperCenter so "super?" Is it the convenience of the one-stop shopping that lures us in? I, myself, have been known to purchase 3 shirts while running in just for some milk. Or is it the big city feel for us small town folks? It has EVERYTHING, mind you.

Except for these. No more, my friend, can you find these little two-bites of heaven located on their shelves. This fact alone has almost rendered the "Super"center dead to me. The only saving grace is that I can no longer stomach the two-bites of heaven. I am sure this is a temporary problem because who doesn't like little chocolate cakes with the perfect amount of frosting per bite? I have a few months before I figure out what to do when my tastes buds return. Do I switch stores, or will I be forced to MAKE MY OWN? Gasp.

Oh, but I digress. The other day while driving home from the Big City, I was having one of those familiar cravings for the NESTLE CRUNCH ICE CREAM BARS . Boy, I tell you this baby is one demanding little creature. What this baby wants, this baby is sure to get. It already has me wrapped around its translucent fingers. This baby NEEDS ice cream and it is very specific.

For example. I was feeling a certain bond with the baby when he/she suggested that I seek out vanilla ice cream with M&M's mixed in. Sounds simple enough. Found a drive-thru that served custard and ordered my M&M goodie. The baby was NOT happy with the result. This establishment, which shall remain nameless, used Mini-M&M's in their "ice cream treat!" This baby demands that only regular sized M&M's are to be used at all times. People, I am telling you that this little 5 ounce person has big opinions. I did manage to stuff the whole thing down, but I could tell someone was hiding in the corner of the womb pouting. Maybe even telling the placenta how mean I was. The nerve!

Anyway, back to the "Super"Center. Here I was searching high and low for the Nestle Crunch bars. I couldn't find them anywhere. What kind of place doesn't sell a staple such as Nestle Crunch?

I did find a substitute product but was completely turned off by the packaging. It was for the Blue Bell KRUNCH bars. Which would have been completely OK with me. I have lived in Blue Bell country. I know the appeal of the the Blue Bell name. But some marketing genius got hold of the product and decided it would be in their best interest to put a dirty man on the box. Yes, you heard me correctly. On the box is pictured a man, dirty from head to toe. He looks friendly enough as he bites into his KRUNCH bar, but still. He HAS DIRT ON HIM FROM HEAD TO TOE.

Now, I don't mean to be picky. But I don't want my food associated with anything dirt-related. Are you with me? I don't want to get my ice cream bar and feel like it may contain some of the mud that is sticking to this man's face. But what is a momma to do when the little person inside is DEMANDING the ice cream? I bought it, dirt and all. But I was NOT happy about it.

While I know this is not the "Super"center's fault. I am still thinking they could have chosen the Nestle alternative. The product that doesn't show a dirty man on the box. I am just saying.

Like many of you, I will forgive the "Super"center of it's shortcomings. I will continue to shop for the convenience of the one-stopness that it offers 24 hours a day. In time, I am sure that I will forget about the two-bite brownies debacle and the Blue Bell KRUNCH mishap. It will continue to be my source for cheap clothes and milk and oil changes. That is the American way, afterall.

As far as the KRUNCH bars are concerned. If you close your eyes while digging them out of the box, you won't even think about dirt. And the taste completely makes up for it. I assure you that no mud was used in the making of the product.

Sending out an S.O.S.

Before having babies, I was the best mom. My imaginary children always behaved properly. They were never dirty. They always had the best clothes. They cleaned their plates and ate their vegetables. They put others first and cared for their friends. They never fought, whined or complained.

I imagined that I would always have ample time to myself while the children played together. In my dreams of motherhood, I was always calm and patient. My hair and makeup were always applied. Dinner was always prepared for my family and we sat down at every imaginary meal together. We talked and played games well into the evening. Then they would snuggle in their own beds freshly bathed with teeth scrubbed. And fall asleep instantly without the demands for drinks or bedtime snacks.

Never once in my idyllic motherhood bliss, did our precious babies end up sleeping in our bed. They slept peacefully through the night and woke up refreshed and ready to obey the next morning.

I had all the answers (and then some) BEFORE having children.

Reality is, I am at a complete loss trying to raise the two kids that we have been blessed with. It is a whole lot harder than I ever imagined. Sometimes we need to ask for help from our friends that have travelled the road before us. So, to all the trailblazers out there reading this, please hear my S.O.S. before we completely lose our minds.

We are heavily entrenched in the battle of the bed with Loulabelle. Somewhere in the middle of the night (probably when we are too tired to put up a good fight) she will crawl in between us. Often times she replaces Skip and he goes to sleep in her empty bed. This new behavior started recently, but is now becoming a nightly problem. I don't know what triggered her to start coming to our room. As sweet as she is, I don't want her in our bed. I love snuggle time, but not at the expense of having Skip move to another bedroom. Or, at the expense of tears and loss of sleep. I know we need to be tougher and more consistent with this. But I don't even know where to start.

My pre-motherhood self would have known how to handle this. Please take this S.O.S. and handle it with care. I would love to know how some of you solved this problem with your children.

Because our only option at this point is to charge her rent. I am not joking. We have thought of that.

HELP.

Our demands won this time.

Last night after Tball and dinner, we sat the kids down and told them our expectations for a wonderful, relaxing Saturday morning. These were our demands:

--no one wakes up during the middle of the night.
--no one wakes up BEFORE 9:00.
--no one wakes up grumpy.
--no one wakes up ready to fight with sister or brother.
--no one wakes up hungry or thirsty.

We thought these were reasonable demands. Afterall, they usually come into our room with THEIR demands in hand...hungry, thirsty, watch TV, fight with each other, jump on parent's bed till they have no choice but to get up, etc.

It was high time Skip and I got what WE wanted...peace and quiet, time to wake up without having to solve the world's problems of Pop Tart shortage, etc. They can give us ONE morning of peace. Can't they?

All of our demands were met and a full night sleep ensued and we slept until 9:05.

GLORIOUS Saturday!