This time last year I was writing the same thing only my child was so much smaller and she was definitely not walking.
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She did have a routine and I was scared to break it so I was making huge efforts to be home in time for lunch and her nap as she refused to sleep in her stroller.

LOOK AT ME NOW WALKING AROUND LIKE A CRAZY WOMAN

I thought that was difficult. Looking back I can only say it was a piece of cake. Look at me now.
I still walk around everywhere as I don’t drive but now I walk along a toddler while pushing an empty stroller. She is very determined on walking and babbling away as much as she can and trust me she can, a lot.
It normally takes me around thirty minutes to get to the shopping centre. That is when Ruby decides on being a good girl. Otherwise we get there about another twenty minutes later. And don’t think she’ll stop. No. She insists on going wherever she wants inside the centre and run around like she owns the place.
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Try and get inside a shop with miss tiny feet. I done it inside Wilkinson’s and she decided on rearranging the shelves. We couldn’t move until she finished moving the Dettol spray from where it was to the shelf where other antibacterial sprays were. Maybe they need a temp staff? She is very organised. Not to mention a little thief as well. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. Doesn’t look good on her CV now. But I cannot lie. She is a thief. Like all toddlers. When she decided on going in her stroller while I was still shopping I thought she just got tired. So happily I obeyed and strapped her in. Imagine my surprise when I realised why my child was behaving so well. Somehow she managed to get her hands on a mini deodorant and she was holding it so tightly I didn’t even notice. She was hiding it behind her comforter toy and I was walking around feeling so proud with having an amazingly well behaved toddler. Yeah, think again Mummy 😳
Yesterday I went John Lewis to find a present for some friends and I had to get into serious mum mode. She was trying to grab everything off the shelves while I was pushing the stroller constantly saying the same thing: Ruby, that is not ours baby. We cannot touch it. For about a million times.

I am so way behind on my Christmas shopping that I think some will get their presents on New Years

I tried getting her tired so she can sleep while I go around shops but no chance. She knows so refusing to nap is her favourite activity while outside.
I ordered some things online but #Royal Mail and #MyHermes are so useless. I had to rearrange delivery for some parcels about three times with the postman and the same parcel kept going back to the depot with the Hermes driver because ringing the doorbell seemed to be too complicated for him. I need to mention that I was home. On all these occasions. How come they couldn’t find me it’s still a mystery  to me and I will not stop complaining about them until they learn that a doorbell is used nowadays as well as the button that has RETAIL on it and is situated right next to the ones showing the flat numbers in my building.
Pushing a stroller, entertaining a toddler, choosing presents for people, cuing and trying to pay while keeping an eye on the restless child is definitely not easy. I am making huge efforts to keep her busy, not get annoyed and get all shit done but sometimes it all seems like a scene from mission impossible.
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I am remembering all breathing techniques learned in antenatal classes. They used to help calm me down. Not anymore. Somehow I forget what I’m doing so starting it all over is hard work. Worst thing is when people pass by me and they stare at Ruby smiling and telling me she is so cute or beautiful. I feel so bad in those moments as I realise she is only small and so adorable and I am so bad for not having all the patience in the world for her.
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But Christmas time is so stressful trying to get it all done in time.
Maybe I should just remember that my most precious gift is right next to me babbling away and arranging shelves in Wilkinson and if things are not done in time who cares. I’m still in love with Christmas, my tree is looking lovely, house is clean and baby amazing and showing me every day just how lucky I am. 


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Merry Christmas you all from me and my little munchkin 

5 thoughts on “Christmas shopping with a toddler”

  1. You are a blessed and lovely parent of a perfect child. Your impatience does not make you a poor parent, rather a very human one. I love reading your adventures here, and she is so perfectly beautiful in her penguin getup!

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