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Shopping for the kids before the school year started was always difficult for Lydia and Allison. Both kids had vastly different tastes and were as particular about certain things as any other kid their age. Needless to say, the longer they could put it off, the better.
The drive to the nearest WalMart was loud, thanks to their 5-year-old daughter Olivia insisting on singing along to the radio, despite not knowing any the words. Their 8-year-old son Elijah was the opposite of his sister, and much more content with bouncing along to his sister's music.
Lydia pulled into a parking spot and turned the car off. "Do you guys have your lists?"
The kids looked in their pockets—Olivia dug through the front pocket of her overalls, Elijah through his short's pocket—and raised the sheets of paper into the air.
"Good! Now, remember: No toys and no candy. We're here to buy stuff for school, okay?" Allison said, looking at both of her kids.
"Yes, Mom," they both said in unison. They didn't fool her for a second. She knew that it would all go out the window once they stepped foot in the store and were met with the bright colors and sounds of the kid's section. Keeping them on task would be their number one priority.
Lydia unbuckled Olivia out of her car seat. While Allison waited for them, she gave Elijah a kiss on the cheek. He was getting at that age where he would react to her public affections with "Mom!" then struggle to get away from her.
Once inside, they separated and went down the list of things each kid needed. Elijah was a fan of fast cars and Adventure Time. Even half of his new school wardrobe consisted of Adventure Time t-shirts. Allison let him pick whatever he wanted, so naturally, he made a bee line to the bright blue and yellow section of the shelves.
"Mom, they have the Beemo pencils I wanted we couldn't find at Staples!" He said, bouncing up and down, clutching the pack of 10 pencils to his chest. "Can we get them? Pleeeeease?"
"Didn't Mommy get you pencils already?" Allison asked and raised an eyebrow.
"Yes... but they don't have Beemo on them," he said with a big grin, showing off his missing front tooth. Allison put her hand on her hip and chuckled. Her boy could get away with murder as long as he smiled at her like that.
She bent down to get on his level, "Just this once. But don't tell Mommy. Got it?" He grinned even harder and nodded fiercely, tossing the pack of pencils into their shopping cart.
Lydia was having an easier time, having their youngest child strapped in the shopping cart. She pointed at things that were bright pink or baby blue, her favorite colors, even things a 5-year-old wouldn't need, like a stapler.
"Mommy, can we get that?"
"What, honey?"
"That," she said, pointing her tiny finger, "the folder with the kitty."
"Sure thing, miss," Lydia replied and handed her the folder. Olivia took a closer look and handed it back. "Mommy, I don't like this kitty. He looks sad. I don't think he wanted his picture taken."
"He's a model kitty. It's his job, sweetie," Lydia said while picking out glue sticks and crayons.
"Maybe he doesn't wanna be a model. Maybe he wants to be a doctor or something," she said and frowned.
Lydia smiled and took the folder back, "You're probably right, Liv." She looked back at the shelves and grabbed another, "How about this one with pretty flowers? No sad kitties anywhere."
Olivia shook her head and looked back at her brother, "I want an Adventure Time folder, just like Elijah."
"I thought you didn't like that show," Lydia said and spun the cart around and began pushing it towards the rest of their family.
"Well, I do now. I want a Flame Princess folder because she reminds me of you," she said and grabbed a strand of Lydia's long hair.
"Does she, now?" Lydia smiles. "Which one is she?"
"That one," Olivia said and leaned over to try and grab the folder out of the box on the shelf. Lydia helped her and she pointed at the cartoon character colored from head to toe in red with, of course, flames surrounding her.
"Oh, because of my red hair?" Lydia asked.
"Yup. And now whenever I see it at school, I'll think of you!" She said and dropped the folder over her shoulder.
"Hi, Mommy. Reunited so soon?" Allison smiled and gave Lydia a quick kiss.
"Yes, apparently Miss Olivia now likes Adventure Time and thinks I look like the Fire Princess."
"Flame Princess, Mommy!" The girl pipes up.
"Ah, Flame Princess, I stand corrected," Lydia says and chuckles. Allison leans in and whispers in Lydia's ear, "I'll light your fire tonight." She laughs out loud and gives pushes her away, making a face that says "not in front of the kids."
"What's so funny?" Olivia asks. Lydia laughs even harder, "Nothing, sweetheart. Mom's just being silly."
"Mom, what did you say? I want to know," Olivia kept pestering her.
"Look, isn't this pretty?" Lydia shoved a tiny stuffed puppy someone had abandoned in the school supplies aisle in front of Olivia's face.
"You know she's not going to let that go and we're gonna have to buy something for Elijah, too, right?" Allison says.
"I had to. You know she wouldn't have let that go for hours, you know how she is!"
***
"I know! Where does the time go?" Lydia replied from the bathroom where she was brushing her hair.
Allison sighed, "I don't know. Our babies are going to be in high school before we know it."
Lydia turned the bathroom lights off and peeled the covers back from her side of the bed. "Do not even start," she said with a smile on her face. "They're going to grow up whether you like it or not. That's life and I don't want you moping about it!" she continued and pressed a kiss to Allison's temple.
They flicked the lamp light off and were silent. Lydia finally spoke up, "I can practically hear you thinking about it. Just hope and pray they don't blow something up at school or get someone pregnant at 16. Other than that, we'll be golden."
She reluctantly agreed with Lydia, then Olivia began crying and calling out for Allison.
"In the meantime, we still have a 5-year-old who needs you. It's showtime, Mom," Lydia said and pushed Allison out of bed.