Do NOT Scold Me in Joann

Dear Meddling Lady in Joanne who thought my child was being ignored,

First of all, how could you?  Don't you realize that Joann is my happy place?  I have no idea how to use 75% of  the things in the store, but I love to meander through the aisles and look.  I often get lost but it's okay.  Time stands still in Joann.

When it was time to check out, you were in front of me and noticed my oh-so-precious baby boy.  He probably proffered you a smile and probably pointed at something in your basket, always a conversation starter. 

I didn't notice you noticing him because I was checking my phone.  I had posted an on the fly bump post on my blog and people loved it.  I felt special and had to respond to everyone right away.

But my kid was not running around, he was not acting a fool.  He was sitting nicely in his stroller, playing with his new book (only $1 folks and it's cute) and basking in your attention.  You see, Meddling Lady, one of the things he inherited from me was his love of attention.  One day he'll grow up and be a blogger as well, I'm sure of it.

So, when he took his sippy cup out of the cupholder and accidentally bumped his chin, it was because he was looking at you and not paying attention to the task at hand.  He's 15 months old and not quite a multitasker.  You'll forgive him that, I'm sure.

You gasped like he had fallen on a bed of nails, which shook me from my reverie.  I looked at my child, slurping his water from the sippy and said, "Good job bud!" 

The thing is, he was doing a good job.  He's recently mastered the art of drinking through a straw, and this is a big deal.  The sippy has a straw and he was going to town on it.  When I told him good job, I meant it.  I wasn't just vacantly praising my child.

But when you, Meddling Lady, decided to get stank with me and tell me that he had just hit his chin with the cup and "I saw the whole thing because I was looking at him," it made me want to...do a lot of things I have deemed inappropriate upon becoming a mother. 

I didn't do any of those things.  I made the comment of how he's easy to look at because he's so cute and that I deduced he was okay given the lack of tears and mark on his chin.  Lucky for everyone involved, it was then your turn in line, and you gave my son one last apologetic look (seriously, lady?) and turned around to pay for your stuff.

M'kay, let's just get one thing straight here.  Please, scold me if my child is a) crying, b) dirty, c) sad, d) covered with bumps.  On the flip side, kindly throw the stank tone out the window if my child is a) smiling b)happy c) clean, d) curious or e) ALL OF THE ABOVE.

Toph was all of the above and is always all of the above.

Source: babybrewing.com via Ginny on Pinterest

Thank you kindly and may we never cross paths at Joann again,
gin