Crunchy Shoes and Little Theives

So last night Noah and I were getting ready to go to the grocery store and he totally pitched a fit when I tried to put his shoes on him. This was, like, the third time that day and the fourth day in a row that this has been an issue so I flat out asked - kind of screamed - "what is the problem with putting on your shoes?"

"These shoes are too crunchy mama!"

Well, it must be my Mom super abilities, but I was able to figure out that what he meant by that was, my shoes no longer fit and crush my toes. Well, then I felt horrible so I totally let him wear his elephant rain boots (the only non-crunchy shoes, according to him) to the grocery store and then straight to the mall to get some new shoes. Sure enough he was the next size up and I felt even worse for ignoring it as long as I had. Hopefully he won't have terribly deformed feet or anything.

Long story short, Noah loved his new shoes and wanted to run around in them (because they are running shoes like Daddy's) so we ran around the mall and ended up at Target where he got to pick out a new train. He picked a package that had two of Thomas' caboose cars, Annie and Clarabel. He was so excited to get them and in such a good mood that I let him go to Chick-Fil-A for dinner. Finally he asked if we could ride the cars (the mall has a grouping of 4 or 5 of those cars that you put a quarter in and ride) and since he had been so good I said, "sure, why not?" He was very excited to take Annie and Clarabel to the cars.

We headed to the cars and he climbed in the pink bus (with BOTH trains, I might add) and pretended to drive - he doesn't realize what putting a quarter in them does and I have no desire to show him! While we were playing a couple stopped with a little girl - probably 4 years old - and as Noah got out of the pink bus she got in. He headed to the red car and as he was climbing in I heard the little girl's parents telling her it was time to leave and they headed down the hall to the exit. Suddenly Noah said, "Oh! I left Annie and Clarabel in the bus, I go get them!" He jumped out of the red car and over to the bus and I waited for it.

"Mama, where is the other one?" Sure enough, only one train was in there. The little girl had walked off with it, I was sure. I was not angry at her, but very angry that her parents had allowed her to walk off with a toy that was obviously not hers, especially since we were standing 2 feet from them and they could have asked if it belonged to us. Of course at this point Noah's lower lip is sticking out to Texas and he is starting to wail for Clarabel. Then I got really angry and grabbed his hand and said, "Come on!"

I took off running towards the exit after that family. We burst into the parking lot and I started looking for where they might have gone. I was going to get that train back and I didn't care if I looked crazy doing it! But, alas, they were gone and I had to hold Noah in the parking lot why he wailed for Clarabel. I tried to explain to him what had happened and why it is so important to keep track of our toys. He nodded, with tears running down his face, and said, "That kid took my Clarabel away and now I am sad."

I think my heart split in half.

I literally almost started crying too. Watching your child face disappointment and heartbreak, um, yeah, it sucks. And Noah is only two. Just think what it will be like when some teenage girl breaks his heart one day. I guess I will have to track her down and attack her in a parking lot too.