I like to shop by myself but until the day all the kids move out of my house or on the occasional Sunday afternoon, a kid or two, or four tags along.
Both boys go with me now. They are learning to pick items off the shelf without crumbling bags of chips or knocking everything off the shelf. They help me cross items off my list and help me decide which kind of cereal to buy. Lately, Will is learning to push the cart through the aisles without running into people.
One of the highlights of our trips of late is going over the “bump bump bumps”.
I try to park near the sidewalk. The sidewalks at our Aldi have these large square sections with circle bumps on them. Most likely placed to warn a person they are leaving the sidewalk and stepping out onto the road.
When you run over these bumps with a shopping cart, the cart bumps, shakes and makes cool clanking noises. Inside the cart there are giggles and smiles.
We cross these bumps on the way back to the car and then once again when we return our Aldi shopping cart to get our quarter back.
It never fails to get smiles. Even if it was the worst shopping trip ever and someone had to help me load groceries on the conveyor belt because Casey was crying hysterically and Will was in trouble, the “bump bump bumps” change that. I want to memorize their voices, the look their faces and the sound of their laughter.
Yes, I make sure the boys are safe and yes, I always check for cars. People drive badly in parking lots.
“Can we go over the bump bump bumps?” Will asks.
Yes, always yes.