Family Time

I had a nice day with my older kids yesterday. I asked them to go to the mall with me so they could watch Sasha while I did a little shopping. I thought I could check out a few stores and we could look at stores for them as well. Neither one likes to shop and I don't think has gotten new clothes since Christmas. Anyway, I looked around for a little while, but didn't really find anything I liked. It really is not much fun to shop when you are on a timer. Sasha hates being in a stoller, which makes it even worse. I carried her in a front pack or sling for several months and hardly ever used a stroller. I finally bought a new one a couple of months ago. I had a double stroller I use when I have two or more kids, but I wanted a smaller one so would be more convenient when I just had Sasha. I have been trying to use it lately and she hates it. I mean, she screams like she is being hurt when she is in it and calls out,"Mamma," with the most pitiful cry you've ever heard. EVERYONE turns and stares at us as we walk by. I usually pick her up and carry her and put my bags or things in the stroller, but the last few times I have used it I have actually strapped her in and let her cry a little. It sounds mean, but otherwise she is never going to get used to it. Yes, I have food for her to eat in the tray and water in a cup for her too. She is so mad she immediately throws the cup and knocks all of the food off. Nice.
Anyway, I had hoped she would fall asleep in the car on the way over and sleep inthe stroller while we looked around. She immediately woke up once we put her in the stroller and didn't fall back asleep the entire time we were there. In fact, the twenty minute nap she had in the car was the only nap she took all day. She wasn't cranky, but she couldn't sit down to eat at lunch and didn't want to sit in the stroller or be held. She wanted to walk around by herself at the mall. It made for a long afternoon. It was still fun though.
Today I picked up one of my nieces and brought her with me to Brayden's swim lesson. Jesi, Sasha and I watched him swim and then we all went out to lunch. After that we brought Sasha to get her hair cut. I had brought her a few weeks ago to get her bangs trimmed, but the woman had barely cut them any shorter. I really could hardly tell that they were shorter. But I had been holding Sasha while she cut them and by the time she was finished, Sasha was ready to go. A different lady gave her a hairbut today and it looks great! I am trying to grow out the sides, so I only wanted her bangs and the back cut. She did a great job. Sasha did really well, which was amazing since she had had a hard morning. She is usually very easy going, but she seems to be more opinionated the last couple of days. I had put her in her stroller again on the way to the swim lesson and she had screamed the entire time again. By the time we got from the car to the pool she had thrown all of the food off of the tray and lost a shoe. I had more food, but we couldn't find the shoe. Again, everyone looked at us like I was a horrible mother for making my child sit in her stroller.
After we got her hair cut, I brought Jesi, Dakota and Brayden swimming while Sasha took a nap at home. It was really fun. I could actually get in the pool and swim by myself for a few minutes and then relax in the sun for a little while. That is the fist time I have done that all summer. It was wonderful! We picked up Brookelyn, had dinner and then played in the yard until it was bedtime. Fun day! I was able to take a few pictures where my kids looked at me since my niece got their attention for me.