Fit for a Four-Year Old

I feel like all our stories in public happen in Target... I guess we live there? Sure feels like it sometimes. Anyways...

The other day we had to go to Target. Nowadays, whenever James knows we are going to Target he asks me beforehand if we are going to look at toys. I said, maybe, we'll see. So basically a 'yes' to a four-year old? I think so.

We went to Target and we only ventured on the side of beauty/health and food. No where near clothes, toys, shoes, home, etc. I was so proud of myself. We go to check out, and once James realizes we are getting ready to pay, he flips out. Flips. Out. I literally checked the other two boys before realizing it was James who was crying.

James: We haven't looked at TOYS!! We need to look at. The. TOYS!!
Me: Buddy, I'm so sorry. I totally forgot. But we're here and we need to go.
James: No!! I need to look at toys! I want to be the BAD GUY! I am not good!

There was a bit more, but it all blended together in the few seconds this took place. I realized I had a choice- be angry that he was making such a scene over toys OR see it through eyes and see the humor from my perspective. And I say humor, as in, you've got to laugh at tough situations. I mean, it was kind of a cute fit. Seeing it from his point, I would totally be freaking out, too. It was just cute how much it mattered to him. I picked him up and held him while I tried not to smile too much. The cashier was a younger girl and was kind of avoiding eye contact, which was also kind of funny. I remembered I had stuff to return in my bag, so I headed over to the Customer Service desk. The guy who was  manning it was out front with carts and it's someone who's been there for a while. When we were getting things for James to potty train almost two years ago, he was our cashier and he talked to me about potty training his daughter. So I obviously know he's a parent. On the way over, this was our conversation:

James: I want to be mean! I am being the bad guy! I'm so mad!
Me: You are so much fun right now.
James: NO, I am NOT so much fun right now!
Me: Yeah, I know. It was sarcastic.
James: No, it was NOT.. carstic! 
Me: Yes, it was. It was sarcastic.
James: No, it WASN'T! I am being IMPOSSIBLE!
Me: (chuckles) You are right

The guy had to come behind the counter, and I could totally tell he was laughing. Which made me feel more relaxed. There's something so refreshing with knowing others are thinking, "Oh man, been there done that. It's more funny that it is annoying" James kept saying things about being bad and mean while I did the return. One of the things I returned was Spiderman 2. Totally forgot we already had it. James caught a glimpse of it and immediately started to calm down and start a barrage of questions that is so him.

James: Why are we giving it back?... We already have it?... Why is Doc Occ bad?... His robot arms made him bad. But why?... There is a black Spiderman. Why?... What made him bad?... He became Venom?...
Me: I accidentally got it. I forgot we had it!... Yes, we have it already... His arms made him bad. He is good... They didn't want to go away, so they made him bad... Yes, there is a black Spiderman, but you can't watch that one yet... A small black thing (my way of explaining it's a symbiote) gets on him and turns him bad. He wasn't happy... Venom made him bad, it makes him think badly... Yes, he became Venom but didn't like it so he made it go away. It then attached to someone else I can't remember (Eddie Brock, totally remembered later!)

I was totally happy we had got distracted with talk of Spiderman. That lasted until he had to sit in his car seat and he started up again. Luckily by the time we got home, he was over it. I was super surprised at his fit, but was so glad to find a happy place with it.