Car Carts

Yesterday, I had to take my two girls to the grocery store... a big chain store that does NOT have "car carts". And the thought crossed my mind, I sure wish they had car carts here... Wait, did I just think that?! 

For those that are not familiar with the child beloved car cart, it is some mad scientist project that is part toy car for children to ride in, part grocery cart. When my children ride in them, the love steering the play steering wheels, love sitting next to each other, and even love being buckled in. They casually wave to other shoppers smiling and saying "Hi!". It is as if the car cart has transformed them into the perfect little children. However, there are a few other parent concerns...

• With the added length of a toy car on a shopping cart, you feel like you are pushing a small train through the store
• A small train being driven by a conductor that has not quite mastered the sharp turn
• You have to be very good at smiling and saying "Sorry!" so that people will excuse your poor steering and cutting in front of them when you approach a blind corner at the end of an aisle
• Your children will most likely want to get out at some point, just to want immediately back in
• If your children are anything like mine, color definitely matters, "But MOM, we really want to ride in the identical GREEN one, not BLLLUUUUUUUE!!"
• If you are lucky, the wheels might even squeak or make big clunking noises, as if everyone you pass wasn't already looking at you

Despite my love for the car cart, however, let me tell you how my youngest (1 and 1/2 years old) acted today at the store without one...

• Ride in a cart, NEVER! I am pretty sure she would have said if she was older by her protests when I tried to put her in the regular, old shopping cart while she was yelling, "WALK, WALK".
• She then gets that little mischievous look in her eyes when I encourage her to keep up, often giving me an evil laugh and high-tailing it the other direction
• She will then wait until we are at the most congested part of the grocery store and proceed to crawl gathering every germ there ever was (she has been walking for over 5 months) while giggling at other customers, feeding off of their sweet coos
• And lastly, will run along aisles grabbing anything shiny or interesting looking and throwing it on the floor or try to place it in the cart...

So after today... maybe I have come to realize I actually DO love car carts, just a little?  :)

Anyone find grocery shopping with your little ones a bit more challenging?  Anyone love the car carts as well?