Faithful in the Fray

Jeremy had to unexpectedly go out of town late Friday night so it left little miss and me alone for the weekend. I’m used to Jeremy working weekends so I normally try and get as much done during the day while he is asleep that way when he wakes up we can hang out. I’ve made many a grocery store, Target, and even mall run during those hours and 98% of them have gone off without a hitch.

Yesterday I had run to Target to get a few things and while we were almost done, Maizie started to get extremely fussy. Now, normally, I just talk with her and sing and it calms her down, but this time she was mad. I realized that in the most rookie move ever I didn’t check to see if she had any paci’s in her diaper bag. The day before she had like eight in there, so I didn’t think anything of it. I was so tempted to buy a pack, but then how am I going to sterilize it? The struggle. So, I hurried myself along, checked out (our Target just got a self-checkout, praise the Lord) and got to the car. I figured I would let her eat a bit before going to the grocery store and so I hopped in the back seat, grabbed her bottle and let her go to town. She was doing fine until I went to pick her up and burp her and her entire bottle seemed to have just come back up with a vengeance. It was everywhere. I was already sweating because it was 98 degrees outside, but now I’m sitting in the backseat of the car, with vom-bomb everywhere. I figured she had enough for the time, and was falling asleep so I put her in her carseat and headed towards Publix.

I had never used the shopping cart that had a carseat slot in it before at Publix, and as I knew this was going to be a bigger shopping trip I was excited to use it! It was much taller than me, but I just looked around the seat and navigated my way through the aisles trying not to hit anyone. Maizie was sleeping as we got our meat from the deli and then as I gathered the produce. One lady made a comment about how great she was being, just sleeping away, and I nodded and said “I know, she does so great!” We rounded the corner to continue on to get some bacon and without missing a beat, she lets out the most blood curling scream I’ve ever heard. I stop in a bit of a shock unsure of what just happened and then proceed to talk with her and sing and make comments like ‘yes, I get it, I know you’re mad, mommy is almost done.’

I pass a couple Publix workers who could see the heat radiating from my face in embarrassment and asked if I needed any help. I politely told them no, I was almost done, but thank you for the offer. It was at that moment I realized that I had forgotten shredded cheese which was at the opposite end of the store. I turn around in the aisle and Maizie does that crying thing where it sounds like the kid stops breathing and so I figured she’d had enough and so I got her out of the carseat and tried to soothe her. Now, I’m trying to paint this in the best picture as possible. I’m standing there, cart full of groceries, giant carseat in front of my 5’5 frame leaving me blind to those behind, with Maizie in my arms. She continues to go from sobbing hysterically to being quiet and that’s when I head towards the checkout. I am navigating this cart with one hand on it and one arm carrying her. I wish I stopped to take a picture but at this point I was sweating so much I need to get the heck out of there. On my walk of shame to the checkout line I was so tempted to grab myself a bottle of wine, but knew that would only add fuel to her fire. Did I mention I didn’t pack any paci’s in her diaper bag? Rookie. Move.

I pull up to the checkout lane and proceed to hit the magazine rack with the Hummer of all shopping carts. I started to throw stuff on to the conveyor belt and when I missed and the cheese hit the ground a sweet teenage boy I’m sure will never have children now asked if he could help me unload the cart. Without hesitation I said yes and went to swipe my card to pay. It then took six tries before my card actually ran (I have no idea how much I spent at this point, I was just looking around awkwardly while my child is screaming her head off trying to leave as soon as possible) and the sweet teenage boy finished putting the bags in my cart. I started to walk away when I could tell he didn’t want to offer to help me to my car, but did anyways and I said yes.

It took approximately four minutes in the car for Maizie to stop screaming and fall back asleep.

the pictures have nothing to do with the story and everything to do with her not crying in them.