Taking Time

My oldest daughter was going to heritage school and needed to have a period packed lunch. I was wrapping jerky and dried apples in handkerchiefs and placing in an old coffee can.
"But why can't my sleeves be short"
"I don't like these socks"
"I put my jacket right on the floor"
"Do you know where my spider man shoes are"
"DORA!LOOK IT"S DORA"
This is the music of my morning. After dodging parents in the parking lot too egocentric to realize the yellow lines are for parking between and fighting my way back to the street like a salmon swimming up river, the big girl and I arrive home for showers breakfast and a costume change(read out of pajama's into a bra!) Balancing both checkbooks I wonder how good are the chances of hitting the power ball. Big girl and I go back to our van and are off to do our errands.
"Can you PLEASE hold my hand"
"THIS is a parking lot-cars don't look for little girls"
"Don't run"
"WAIT for ME"
numerous eye rolls to the heaven for strength and a few pulled hairs later we get to her sanctuary-the library. Unfortunately a quick trip, I still need to do Wal-Mart for dinner. The very nice librarian bends down to visit with Big Girl. . .
"Do you like Dora? We have new Dora books in, you can have one for each day of the week"
She hands 7 books to Big Girl who will not put them down to save a life. Thanks nice Librarian. . .you must know our late fees pay your salary. Oh Well not in the mood for a fit. . .We get them all. I find my new books and we go back to the van.
"I do it. "
I don't have the time to wait so I do it and she screams. I hand her the balm at hand. . .a Dora book. While she is occupied with Boots and Swiper I go to the drop box and return 6 of the books I just checked out. Nice try Miss Librarian but you won't suck those fees from me.
Onto the retail wasteland-Wal-Mart. Damn them for their convenience and prices. . . Devil Incarnate I have no choice. Rushing through the lot sniping my usual threats and warnings, my mind drifting to the 3000 loads of laundry to do(only a slight exaggeration) I become anxious to finish this chore and head home for lunch and naps. We dodge the Dora toothpaste, avoid the wall of babies, start down the dark aisle of Halloween candy and do a 360 right there at the end cap to see Dora soup. Fine it's only a dollar and will make lunch a breeze. Finally done we go to check out me pulling her oohing and ahhing along. Me frustrated and antsy. Her in awe of all around her. She stops dead in her tracks. Immobile. Like a cement post. What NOW. I just want to get the bags to the car and get her down for nap so I can do something productive. I look down irritation emanating from me like the Pepe le Peu wisps of stench.
"MMM pretty"
Her face is buried in bright yellow mums, her eyes closed in bliss, her nose inches from the potted dirt. She is so relaxed, so happy, so carefree. I stop. I put down my bags. I stoop to my knees and bury my face next to hers.
"MMM your right"
Triumphant Big Girls drags me on the the next pot. We smell this too. She has the joy, the exuberance only a child can achieve. And for those few moments at Wal-Mart shares with me. We stop and smell the roses. Or mums. Every last one of them.