Thank you stranger!

I was having a bad day. The day isn't over I meant to say, " I am having a bad day!"

I had to go to Wal-Mart, to make matters worse. I love the store, but don't like to go by myself with the kids just to get two things. That's no fun, and a lot of work for nothing. However, we needed both milk and formula.

It took me 15-20 minutes in the parking lot before I even got into the store. I had to feed Christopher who decided he was going to start screaming. I think he just wanted out of his car seat, he hates it! So I tried to feed him. He only ate 1 1/2 oz. Then I changed his diaper. Then I put him in the wrap in wear, set up as a front carrier. It does 15 carries, and I absolutely love it. I just wish it were a little easier to wrap. You know it could wrap itself, then it would be perfect.

There was a cart next to our car, but a store employee wanted to look busy while he flirted with some girl so he took it. Thank YOU, for nothing! I grabbed Evie who at this point desperately wanted out of her car seat as well. Now with my son strapped to me, my daughter on my hip, and my bag over my shoulder we headed in the store. Thankfully, my parking spot was close. That was at least 40 lbs with just the kids, and I'm sure the bag is close to 20 too!

In the store I start to look at things I want to buy, but don't have the money for right now. Then Evie signs she is "all done", and oops it is hot in here. Carrying a 20lb baby turns up the heat fast. So I have to hurry get the stuff and go.

Having a child in a front carrier is a blessing and a curse. It keeps them busy and happy. Unfortunately, you can't see their face. Therefore you have no idea what is going on. We head for the check out counter and I am placing items on the counter. When a man walking by says, "Excuse me I think that's your binkie"! At first I was confused. Then I looked a few feet behind us, and sure enough my son had spit out his binkie. I wanted to hug the guy to say, "Thank you!" That binkie is worth more than its weight in gold to me. Especially in a few minutes on the way home when Christopher will decide he has had enough.

My excessive gratitude stems from the fact that this man walking by noticed and told me this when no one else did. Despite there being countless others in the area and no one else noticed or bothered to say something! In fact the binkie was just inches away from one woman's feet. So thank you for just noticing and speaking up. I appreciate it!

Today it is sad, but often we are to self absorbed to notice anyone else. Other times we notice, but for what ever reason choose to say nothing! It is ok to be nice! Try it, I dare you!

Depth Perception?

Until recently I thought of my daughter as fearless. Lately she has developed seemingly odd fears of cracks in the ground. We live on the fourth floor of an apartment building, thank God we have an elevator. The last few times we have gone in or out of the elevator she has cried unless someone holds her hand when crossing the gap in the floor where the doors open. She is petrified of it. I guess since you can see down it that would be a rational fear especially for a toddler. Her fear of it is not what has surprised me it is the sudden onset of this fear.

She also recently was afraid to walk on a friends deck. We attend a play group at the local library every week. In the room there is a large stage that is put together by 8 separate squares being joined underneath. The stage is only a foot or two of the ground. Today she was terrified to walk from one square to the other. She wouldn't cross the cracks unless I held her hand. She tried to get an older girl, possibly 8, to hold her hand once to help her, but the girl didn't know her and didn't understand. The thing about this is last Monday she didn't even seem to notice the cracks.

I don't know if this is a normal part of development. Has she suddenly acquired depth perception? Or is she just more aware of these things? I know nothing bad has happened to her in conjunction with these cracks.

I guess she just recently realized that part of the floor is different, but she doesn't know why. Maybe that is why she is afraid because she doesn't know what it is. I don't know, and I'm not sure if I should be concerned or not. It's no big deal to reach down and hold her hand, and to reassure her that everything is alright. This is just all so new to me.