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A new form of Starbucks.






"Sweetie?"
"Yes Mommy?"
"Let's go for a walk!"
"Ok!!!  I'll get my Dora bicycle!!!"

I strap the one year old in the stroller with tons of toys, rice puffs (in an impossible to open container...for hours of pleasure) and a bottle.

The 3 1/2 year old jumps on her bicycle.  I push on her helmet.  "OWWWW!!!  urgh!!!  Not so HARD Mommeeeeee!!!!"

sigh.  I barely pushed.

And we're OFF!!!!!

Oh no!  A green electrical box.  Here we go!

"Mommy, Mommy!!!!!  Let's play Starbucks!!!!!"

sigh.

So, every single walk.....and every single electrical box.....we must play Starbucks.  

It was super cute when she first started this game.  She would run behind the box, duck, I would have to call "Ohhh Starbucks lady?"  and she would jump out and the ordering and sales would begin.

But we walk EVERY SINGLE DAY and there are about 10 electrical boxes on our route.

"Ok. Mommy."  she says very matter of factly (is factly a word?)

"What do you want Mommy?"

My order is the same every day, but I look up to the sky, put my finger to my mouth and think.

"Hmmmmmm.....I'll get a caramel macchiato...lactose free....and....a pink pop for my little friend."

(This is where my daughter's charm ...and slight attitude kick in.)

"Oh.  Is that your daughter?"  she is now resting on the electrical box.  All I can think of is the 4 loads of laundry I have to do tonight....sigh....

 "Yes actually.  This is my daughter."

"Oh."  she seems very un-impressed.

"Do you have ANOTHER daughter?"

"Yes!"  I act shocked.  "How did you know???"

"Ummm...I just knew."  she is having this whole conversation now without looking me in the eyes once.  Nice!

I am getting scorched by the sun.  

"Sooo....do you have my caramel macchiato?"  I ask, praying the answer will be "oh yeah..here you go!"  But of course it isn't.

"Oh....we don't have any."

My controlling nature doesn't accept this answer.

"What do you mean you don't have any caramel macchiatos?  This is Starbucks. You're actually known for your caramel macchiatos".

The baby is now looking back at me.  Probably thinking "Mom....you know this is FAKE right?"

My 3 year old rolls her eyes.

"Nope!  Sorry!  What else do you want?"

Grrrrr.

"Ok...I'll take my pink pop then."

"Oh great!  We have a few of them in this thing here!!"  She hits a smaller, taller electrical box off to the side. "It's our garbage."

She pretend reaches inside and pretend pulls out a pink pop.

"I'm not eating a pink pop from the GARBAGE!  What kind of place is this? Why are you giving me food from the garbage?"  I think I'm getting too invested in this game.  My one year old is now giving me weird looks.

"Mommy!!  Here!!  Your pink pop!!" she's pretend holding something and shoving her little fist across the electrical box at me.

"Nope.  I'm not eating that.  Find me a FRESH pink pop from the window display."

"We don't have any!!   This one from the garbage is fine!!  This is where we keep them."

(side note:  Starbucks....if you're reading this...is this true??  Send me a comment to my blog.  Thank you in advance.)

"No.  I will not eat that"  I cross my arms across my chest and protest this as far as I can.

"Ok.  Mommy"  she says in a calm, low voice. "Turn away from me.....and I will get you a....fresh pink pop."

PFFFTTT!!!  

"Yeah right!!  I'm going to turn away and you're going to reach into that garbage and get me the same pink pop"  

I think I'm a little too invested in this game.  

"You know what...that's ok!  I see another Starbucks in 10 steps.  I'm going there instead.  Good-bye!"
I take the safety lock off the stroller and start walking away....head to the sky.  I whisper to myself "I have WON!"


"MOMMYYYYYYYY!!  YOU KNOW I NEED TO BE FIRST!!"

She jumps on her bike.....too-tight helmet on her head and passes us.

 But I see her quickly jump off and run behind another electrical box.

Oh good Lord.  Save me.

"Hellllooooo Ma'am!"  she says in her most charming voice while leaning on the electrical box  "Is that your daughter?"




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