Xavier, what are you eating?

Yesterday, we embarked on a trip to Meijer. While checking out, Xavier likes to sit in the TV carts at the front of the store. I can see the carts from the check out lane, so I am happy he is occupied, rather than the alternatives: pulling candy off the shelf, helping me put groceries on the conveyor belt (by throwing them), or "reading" magazines. If you are not familiar with the TV carts, they are kind of double decker-style carts. You pay a dollar to use it, and the child can sit in the bottom and watch a certain cartoon while you shop. Now, originally, I thought this would be the answer to my shopping prayers. In actuality, we have never used one because:
a. The carts aren't very big, and to avoid tons of trips to the store, I buy enough food for 1 or 2 weeks.
b. I don't want to start it, because then he'll insist on it with every visit.
c. I enjoy all of the educational opportunities the store provides for my children (ha!-or maybe I am cheap and would rather spend my dollar elsewhere)

Anyway, I digress from the point of the story. While I am loading the 2 weeks worth of food on the conveyor belt (and wearing Aubrey in my sling), Xavier is telling me something. I can't quite understand him, so I do the normal things moms do when they are busy but want to appease their children: I nodded and said things like, "Oh really?" Hmm...maybe I should have paid more attention.

We are just about done when he comes over to me with some sort of chocolate and pastry all over his mouth. Hmmm...I did not give him anything to eat, so what could this possibly be? I ask, and he tells me that there was a bagel in the TV cart with chocolate on it and it was good. Um, what? I quickly realize he means a donut (apparently he confuses the two) and that it must have been sitting on the seat of the cart, so he thought it was his to eat. EWWW, gross! I ask, "Did this donut already have bites out of it?" Of course, he says yes. Obviously, we have a discussion about not eating ANYTHING unless mom or dad says its OK. Ugh, this makes my skin crawl! Can't you just see him getting in there and thinking, "wow look, a free donut sample!"

This was after an earlier store incident, when a man walked by us and Xavier says, "Mommy who is that mean guy?" Nice. Another teachable moment.

Oh, and another story- Once while waiting in line somewhere, Xavier points to the man's mud-covered pants ahead of us in line (a construction worker, I assume) and says,"Mom, he has a yucky butt."

Ahh, yes. we are now at that age where I will constantly be apologizing to people for the embarrassing things my child blurts out.