Mommy Moment #7: Hittin' the Hotspot

This past winter California saw one of its wettest seasons in years. Normally (meaning under drought conditions), the Bay Area’s mild weather allows for a walk to one of the many parks, a bus ride to a museum or a casual stroll to a local eatery. However, with the rain, wind and cold, taking my toddlers to a soggy playground or hopping on a crowded, musty train in 45 degree weather was out of the question. Spending countless hours indoors was also not a viable alternative. These girls can wreak havoc on nearly every room in the house with blink-of-an-eye speed. Needless to say, I had to come up with a plan for letting them expend their energy while keeping my peace of mind. It just so happened that on a routine trip to Target while passing tall dolls and their cars, Harlem calmly asked, “Mommy, can we play with the toys?” Any other time I would give her the "You Can Play with Your Toys at Home" speech, but on this day, I didn’t.

Instead, I said, “Yes, Baby,” and my world changed. I removed a stool I had placed in my cart, put it on the floor next to a row of pink, hard plastic medical bags, sat down and watched the girls play. They took one item after another on and off the shelves and before I knew it, an hour had passed. With a quick, "Ok. Let's clean up. Time to go," we were done. Easy. An so began our shop and play tradition. We do a semi-takeover of the aisles at Target about once a month. No purchase necessary.