Mission Unstoppable: Christmas Warfare

Clara's arriving next week (30 Oct) and it dawned on me that I hadn't finished shopping for all the girls yet! Heelllllp!

So on Thursday night (26 Oct), I made a mental note to get ALL the shopping done by mid-day Friday. I decided my best bet was to head to Tooting Bec - the next biggest shopping suburb to Clapham Junction and nearest to Clapham Sth - to tie those 'loose ends'.

Shopping with a toddler is like planning 'tactical warfare'. As commander-in-chief for the mission, you'll have to:

1. Identify ground zero. Sift out the best area of attack that'll achieve optimum success, minimum damage (in my case, being housewife & all);
   
2. Be precise. Be a sharp shootor, decisive when zeroing-in on the targets;
   
3. Be resourceful. Be armed with the most effective ammunition;
4. Be swift. Launch attack then evacuate with cheetah-like speed!
   

In mummy 'shopping' terms, all that would mean:

• Identify where you want to shop for great gifts without having to pay an arm and a leg, and is not too crowded or manic. Pram must be able to go up and down aisles with relative ease.
  
• Once in shop, quickly identify & pick up gifts according to needs or likes of the recipient(s)
• Take with you a whole bagful of kiddy treats and healthy snacks to distract. Oxymoron? Kinda is. These include cereal bars, tiny gummy sweets or slice or 2 of bread, assorted fruit, kiddy biscuits. And of course bottle of water, wet wipes and extra diapers.
  
• And unless you wanna commit parental kamikaze, DO NOT even think of dawdling! Make a beeline for the counter, pay, and get yourself the hell outta there before your 2YO becomes cranky, starts screaming or squirming (or both) and demands to be let out of pram to wander all over shop!
  

Anyway, after a rather successful mission, I was v fortunate Danielle was absotively pooped & slept the minute we got home. And while she was snoozing, I managed to wrap, tag, make & write Christmas cards for 'ma homies'. You guys better be appreciative, you hear!!!

Although shopping's rather harrowing these days, it was well worth it. HoHoHo!