oh ikea.  a little history, I love and have dreamt of going to ikea for.ever.  The nearest one is about 4 hours away and we always talk about going but in reality, well, life gets in the way and we just never make it.  So, I finally made it on our way back from Florida.  We planned an extra day in just for that sole purpose.  And I had sold our dressers on Craigslist on a whim a few weeks before while planning my Ikea trip, so I my poor OCD husband was desperate for a dresser.

Here is a little diddy about my first ikea trip..with my mother and 2 year old daughter, after 6 hours of driving (thought that should be in the prelude, lol!) Oh, and I love you mom for putting up with me and my Ikea overload:)

-4pm: pull into ikea, kind of like mecca, we have finally made it! it’s raining, but they have underground parking.  Score.

-4:05: Get our carts.  I get the gigantor one (like the lowe’s ones that are flat and not user friendly) because darnit, I’m getting a dresser.

-4:07: Proceed with said gigantor carts to find an elevator.  Get off on one level, nope; find another elevator and finally make it to the showroom level.

-4:11: thinking maybe I jumped the gun on gigantor cart as I wheel it around the beautiful set up rooms.

-4:12: first room showcase: omg, I now hate my house and need to rip it down and replace it with this one.

-4:14: second room showcase: nevermind, I NEED this one! This is the one I will rip my house down for!

-4:16: It’s official.  I must buy it all!

-4:18: Brain goes into overload with all the good things I need, pen is busily scratching down rows and bins of where to find stuff.

-4:21: Remember that all I am really here for is a dresser.  Must. slow. down.

4:35: Lena finds feet on the floor that she gets to follow to funness.  Ikea is genius!

4:40: Trying to tear Lena away with the promise of more feet.  Now its a mission for her.  Must.find.feet.

4:44: My gigantor cart finally comes in handy as Lena uses it as her magic carpet.  fun times.

5: find food! yay swedish meatballs!  We park the carts and get food.

5:01: They put the dessert first.  Glorious swedish people!

5:02: Lena eats 2 bites (what is it with 2 year olds!), I consume far more swedish meatballs than I care to admit here.

5:10: potty break, full belly and we are on to the next level, the marketplace!

5:15: Finally! The first item goes into the cart!

5:17: what, they sell everything here.  Why Lord why! Yes, I need new rugs. Wineglasses? Sure! They are only a few bucks! Spatulas? Sure. (this one was moms…she was very excited about her spatulas)

5:25: Marketplace overload! At this point all decision making is gone.  I wonder aimlessly because I can’t even comprehend anything.  I want it all but can’t tear down my house at the moment and start over so opt to not get anything, except a dresser.

5:26: brain shuts down and I put some stuff back.  Couldn’t choose red from green right now, its that bad.

5:28: Oh, heavens! They have childcare! Thank you Jesus!

5:29: Of course its the exit to the childcare.  The entrance requires me to walk through the whole place again.  Brain oozes, can’t do it.  Try to convince Lena that the magic carpet cart is still fun. No dice.

5:35: 2 year old ikea-overstimulated, travel-weary MELTDOWN.

5:36: Find feet on floor, they don’t help.

5:38: Go into the self serve warehouse.  Oh, there are more carts here. So essentially I have looked like an idiot with my huge cart all the way through this place:)

5:40: Finally, my gigantor cart has a dresser on it.

5:41: Give up on getting anything else that I have written down.

5:43: Mom looks at me in a very serious tone and says “when you get a minute I need to talk to you”.  Oh geez, this could be bad.  Is it because my daughter is melting down, is it because I’m slightly crazy and can’t even think right now of what my name is? Nope.

5:44: Mom looks at me and says “I really think you should reconsider getting some of those pink chairs (that are upstairs in the marketplace).  They would be perfect!”

5:45: WHAT! That was the seriousness? Pink chairs:) I tell mom no, I’ll have to come back cause it just aint happening.

5:50: See the clearance and discount area.  Pass by it sadly knowing I can’t go in because of my sobbing kid who is sitting on her not so magic carpet.

5:55.  Check out.  Purchased: dresser, kid smock, bowl, and pink curtains for Lena’s room.

6pm: rearrange car to get dresser in. Put Lena in carseat.

6:01: Lena is sound asleep.  Poor kid.

6:02: Make our way to the hotel.

6:03: Must. go. back. Contemplate of how I can manage a trip back tomorrow now that I know better how to prepare for Ikea.