Her first Robbery

Alessia is the type of girl that likes to carry things with her everywhere she goes; she has a few favourites like fruit, toothbrushes and shoes. When we go into a shop as soon as we enter the fruit section she is screaming and shouting 'Bulla Bulla', until she gets one or two pieces of fruit to carry while I shop. She doesn't enjoy kicking back in her buggy while I wheel her around, from the word go this was a no no. I would sit and watch other babies sleep and relax in their pram, while ours was growing cobwebs at home. Though on occasions since coming to New York if it's too hot or I’m going to buy something heavy I put her in the buggy. She brings her Mango or water melon out with   her and she is happier for slightly longer than she normally would be. Until she is giving out, arching her back, or crawling under the straps to get out of the buggy. The only solution is to carry her home. 

Long may these days last that fruit and to be close to me is all she wants. When I get to the checkout, Alessia doesn’t like to part with her fruit all that easily. She will always try and put up a fight when the sales assistant is trying to scan or weight it.  Though often we are given the fruit for free, as the shop assistant hates to ask for it and I act none the wiser. (We just ensure she has an expensive organic piece).

She will then enjoy walking around the apartment with her new purchase. It is adorable to watch her become so attached to something, to be so delighted with it. When we go to a shoe shop or clothes shop she again needs to hold something she loves holding a pair of shoes in her hand or when I let her out of sling she will go straight to the shoes and socks. We have gone to walk out of foot locker Alessia with a brand new pair of free runs in her hand me completely oblivious. Although considering the size of a man’s shoe the security guard was able to point it out while laughing. There are hours of entertainment watching her, looking at her every move and how happy she is with herself and it is all completely free.

She is every shops worst nightmare and it is her idea of heaven, running around taking everything from the shelves. For days out we go to, Babies or us, Barnes and nobles (which has a fantastic kids section) and the Disney store. She could spend the day running around, checking out every last item. She loves nothing more than when I try shoes on her. She will sit on the ground with a shoe she has picked from the shelve and wait till I try it on, or bring it to the shop assistant and hope they will try it on her foot for her. It’s incredible to think this time last year she was a helpless baby now she is dictating what she wants completely clued into what is going on.

On a couple of occasions I have not noticed she has something in her hand, or that she has put something in the buggy while I wasn’t looking.

Though her first robbery was something else. We were in Bushwich in Brooklyn visiting a friend and we went to a dollar store to pick up some candles. Alessia was acting surprisingly quiet for a girl that was tired and it was hot and usually I would hear her chatting away or giving out or at least saying hi to everyone around.

Though I was immersed in a conversation and was only delighted Alessia was sitting happily in her sling. After leaving the shop and walking a few blocks up the street I glanced down at her. She was in her element, smiling and laughing, holding her new toothbrush. I couldn’t stop laughing when I saw her there with it, in all her innocence. I thought these were most definitely the moments that I will cherish forever. Completely and utterly free, fun and entertainment. I would never have believed I would be the getaway vehicle for my daughter’s first robbery. But there I had it I was and I wasn’t complaining.

FREEFUN NYC   

FREEFUN NYC

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