the shopping cart dilemma

EEM is getting old enough to sit up in a cart but still young enough that I can tote her into places in her car seat. Some mothers would consider having options a positive thing. For me, options present over thinking and then regret that I should have done the other thing. SOMEBODY JUST TELL ME WHAT TO DO ALREADY. So pulling into the Target parking lot makes for lots of deep thinking about important things such as how close I can park to a cart and should I take her in the store in her car seat or try to put her in the cart sitting up.

The car seat in the cart

Pros: I can just pop the carrier in the cart and pray she falls asleep, then put the sleeping baby back in the car undisturbed when our shopping trip is over.  (Best case scenario.)

Cons: Her car seat takes up the entire cart (see pic above.) So I must also factor in how much stuff I am planning on buying. I know, a list would help me be certain, but that is Target. Where you find tons of extra things you don’t need and have to play tetris to fit them in the cart around the huge boxes of diapers and wipes (and car seat).  Additionally, if she is not drowsy when I take her in the store in her car seat, after staring at me for 3+ minutes, she is bound to start screaming for dear life and want out of the car seat. Which leads me to my WORST CASE SCENARIO: Carrying  a baby and pushing a cart that has no room thanks to an empty car seat. (I know, it's unfortunate I don't have a picture of that scenario. Because I'm all sweaty and stressed out looking.)

Baby sitting up in the cart

Pros: She gets to enjoy the stimulation of looking around and is less likely to cry than if she were in her car seat. Additionally, I don’t have to lug the car seat in and out of the store. (Now you can be certain that I will avoid exercise in any form.)

Cons: The cart is teeming with germs and EEM is certainly going to try to lick and touch every surface. I know, I have a seat cover thingy that I wrestle on the cart once we make it inside (it is a treat for all who are around to watch, the balancing act of not letting the baby touch the cart while getting the seat cover on properly) but she is sure to eventually lift it up to check out the germ filled terrain underneath. Additionally, if she is the least bit tired, she cries and wants me to hold her (and her car seat would have been the better choice.)

What do you do? Because I am sure if you are still reading this and don’t feel lost or like you are trying to decipher a word problem in another language than you are a mom and totally understand how a car seat, infant and shopping cart can confuse even the smartest of women. 

Why doesn't Target just have a drive thru?