A twenty year study

Today marked yet another day of comedy in my life as a mommy. A friend of mine went with me to IKEA today before picking up my in-laws and of course we had a rockin' time. While standing in line to get our lunch of smoked salmon and sinful chocolate cake, my friend was holding my little Evan with her baby sling. Apparently, unbeknown to either of us, Evan had a snotty nose and a lady behind us felt the need to inform us and help the dear child. I can not help but giggle when this happens as I know they are trying to help, but seriously I have always let other people's babies noses be their own mothers business and left to their comfort zone. My friend picked up the end of the baby sling and used it to wipe his nose and politely said thank you.

So....we two mommies with Evan proceeded to the check out and found our seats. I took the Evans so he could have his mommy time. The mom who helped us was seated not too far away. My more obnoxious side of course kicked in and so did my friends. I was giggling that she had been carrying him and *I* was the one who took him to nurse him. She feeling equally ornery suggested that when I was done with him, she would take him and nurse him too. Wouldn't THAT raise the hair on their heads. My brain then tripped on to inform my dear friend that we could freak them out and I could call her honey and then ask the helpful mom to take our picture. Oh dear. Karin should NOT be let out alone......or alone with equally odd friends....

Things people share with you in public about your children crack me up. Little do they know I have been doing a quiet study of this for twenty some odd years and am merely amused by what they come up with to help you with. I used to be defensive or offended but now I just start to crack up and smile sweetly at them. I figure that if I experiment with my responses to helpful comments I will eventually find the right response. Of course most people in public now assume Evan is my first since the older ones do not need to be drug out with me all over the place. I have vivid memories of trying hard to appear like a confident mother of my sweet ickle wittle Anna when she was an infant and the time I was outside J.C. Pennies and I had forgotten to buckle her little self in the carriage and......she started to fall out the front. Of course two older women just happened to be walking towards me as I dumped my baby on the pavement and looked askance at me. Not full of class and style. I have never mastered class and style EVER with small children. I am ALWAYS being *helped* by people. I have the "this woman needs help" tattoo on my forehead. It must be there. Everyone has just been too nice to point blank judge me for my tattoo. Seriously.

So.....I think my nursing buddy and I need to try our outing again and mess with people a bit. Or perhaps that isn't very nice but it would give them something to talk about anyway.....