Strategic Error?

I'm feeling a bit better, but not quite well enough to face the gym yet today. At the same time though, B and I were both feeling a bit house crazy and the only errand on our list today was picking up the dry cleaning. That didn't take long so I (crazily) decided to go look for the kids play space at the mall as it is too cold and windy today for a park, particularly as B doesn't have a winter coat yet. Of course, as this wasn't planned and my stroller is big it wasn't in the car. Now, keep in mind our house is very close to the mall and the cleaners. It probably would have taken less than 5 extra minutes or so to run past the house, but confident (crazy) person that I am I just forged ahead.

It started off fine, but once in the first store B was so distracted by everything it was already being difficult to keep him heading my way. I had to pick him up to move it along and keep him from touching everything we passed. Then, I discovered that I had misjudged where the play area was. In my mind, it was just outside Macy's and we had parked accordingly. However, just outside Macy's is the shockingly already set-up area for Santa!!! (I'm struggling to believe it is mid-November and haven't at all wrapped my mind around Christmas).

We had to take an escalator down to the mid-level to find a map. B LOVED the escalator so we road some more. As I tried to guide him toward Dillards where I had determined the play area was (about 7 or so stores away) we ended up in the food court and I pointed out that there were more escalators over there (that would conveniently lead to my desired destination). What I did not realize is that between the two there was a large area of those sort of ride on/ride in cars, trucks, horses, etc. B, of course, did notice immediately and began scrambling in, out and around all of them.

I finally decided to try turning one on and had just enough coins on hand. Of course, he didn't like it as much when it is on, but then always wanted to turn it on again.... So, basically we played crawl around on these for quite awhile with occasional escalator rides. Then he seemed to decide that if you can play on these then probably you can play on things next to these (poles, tables, chairs benches and general food court stuff).

I could see this wasn't headed in a good direction. I informed him he had five minutes (which I know he has no concept of) as a warning that we were leaving soon. Then asked him a bit later if he wanted to say bye bye to the cars. He wasn't quite ready, and determinely not interested in eating. Although, I'm not sure he realised you could eat at the mall. In any case, when the five minutes were up, we miraculously made it up the escalator and began the search for another (see leaving is fun?? Right?) We found the next and were nearly to the door. Then, we wandered into Christmas ornament insanity in Macy's. We managed to escape, but just barely as B was convinced it was so interesting and sparkly and what was all that? (Sort of my reaction too really).

We did find the door and burst outside to discover it was even colder than when we entered. I, of course, had not put a jacket on him and felt a bit bad with all the other mothers who had either a stroller or a jacket and almost always both (cringe). Oh well, we made a game of snuggling close into mom and running for the car. Yippee! We made it out and without nearly the chaos or struggle I had anticipated. Perhaps trying to find ways to make it fun or maybe the giving him some notice of what to expect helped? Or maybe it was just lunch/naptime and he'd had enough time with the cars. Hard to say, but what started out a bit scary and unpromising, this time worked out ok. That not withstanding, a stroller will probably come with us if we try it again without Daddy!