The Target Incident.
The Target store here in Carrollton sponsors an event for special needs kids in Carrollton schools each December. Last year the boys were both sick and didn't go. This year I signed up to meet them there. It was a cute setup. The girls got their picture taken with Santa right before the boys showed up. Later I found that the polaroid of the girls didn't turn out - but the one of each of the boys looking doped out did. There were aides from the school there to help, but I said I would take the boys with me so they could each pick out a (as in one, uno) movie. Okay, can someone tell me WHAT WAS I THINKING taking 2 kids w/autism and a toddler firmly in the terrible two stage down the dvd aisle of Target??!! So you can only imagine the scene - each kid grabbing as many movies as they could, Joshua ripping open the plastic wrap with his teeth and throwing the discs down the aisle, Jacob kicking, hitting, on-the-floor screaming as I try to wrestle Nemo out of his hands. And those were the GOOD moments. Rachael did not want to be outdone by her brothers. She would make eye contact with me, take off her glasses and send them flying, and that was the cutest thing she did. It was ugly, ugly, ugly. Two of the aides ended up helping me drag the kids to the door, offering a trail of skittles to entice the little wretches away from the movie section... I'm getting weepy just thinking about it! And the worst part is it was my doing!! I should have foreseen this all. Having the kids pick out just one movie a piece - yeah right, lady!! I need to call the store still. I paid for some items that did not make it home. The checkout girl had to chase me down to give me back my credit card. She could have rung up a fish bait kit on my card for all I was paying attention. And Abby, dear Abby, through all of this did not make a peep. She just smiled at anyone who stopped to say hi to her. What a sweet peanut she is!