Like the title says, I just have so much on my brain lately. Aside from three girls and my job, oh yeah my husband too, my creative juices are on overdrive and there just aren't enough hours in the day to do all I want to do. Hence, early morning coffee time while three jammed girls lay oblivious stage right.
First, my sweet man bought me a computer for my birthday last week and I'm still learning how to use it. I keep clicking the upper right hand corner but there is nothing there.
Back to my birthday, Woohoo - let me tell you, I really rang in 33 with class. I felt ballsy Sunday morning and decided to take my brood to church. This was a risky decision because Nick was working a tournament at work and it would be my first time to get all four of us dressed and there on time. Church was so good I decided to go ahead and make a grocery run. I had Josie in her carrier down in the buggy while Baylor sat strapped in the seat against her will. Harper was in charge of the other buggy. We started in produce, cruised through a few isles and life was good until we got to dairy. Maybe it was the chill or the smell, IDK, but sister started to cry and the paci just didn't work and I didn't feel like popping out my boob in the back of Super 1. So, I flexed my calves and put my back into it and found out just how fast a shopping buggy can maneuver those isles. Up the other side of the store - dog food, chips, frozen waffles...at one point I looked back and poor Harper was almost horizontal she was working so hard to push the heavy buggy. Like some sort of coach I hollered, "C'mon Harp! You got this, now go! Go! Go!" (Insert screaming baby)
Josie was working a full blown howl by the time we made it to the front. A sweet faced boy working the express lane started waving me onward despite the fact that I had more than 10 items.
I scanned his uniform for his name, "Hey (name, it seems to have escaped me), work like you are trying to win some award for bagging and scanning. Do what you have to do to get me outta here!"
He didn't even look up to "Yes Ma'am" me. At this point Josie is howling, Baylor is trying to escape the safety strap and Harper is tugging on my skirt, "Mama, you said if we be good you'd get us a plastic ring. Do we get a ring? Can I get a ring? Can I have a quarter? Me and Baylor was good, Mom."
Soon a manager, another cashier and the lady behind me were all working together to get my groceries out of the cart, quiet the baby and put the new bags back into the cart.
"Mayday, mayday. All hands on deck!"
Finally I scoped Josie out of her seat and she fiercely sucked my shoulder in revved up teenager fashion. I could feel everyone around me exhale once the wailing stopped. With my other hand I dug through my purse to find the plastic needed to pay for the goods while somehow finding two quarters in the change pocket. After emphatically thanking the cashier I steered my cart, one handed, towards the doors. Again, Harper put all her weight into the heavy buggy, stopped to buy two plastic rings, and then trekked across the parking lot to our car. By this time an old Asian man just stood there watching and the lady two spots behind me in line was now beating me out of the store doors. She sat in her car, smiling, and then pulled away once I had everyone buckled in and groceries in the hatch. I should've charged.
Wanna give a shout out to Super 1 and their employees! Thanks for helping this Mama.
I left with three kids, groceries for the week, dog food, two plastic rings and some chicken balls for the ride home. (and sweat rings, messy hair, and a sore back) I am a badass!
Cool stuff to come -
1. I wrote a song and my friend Jenny put it to music this week. So cool to create something so far out of my comfort zone!
2. Two new books you need to read!!!
3. Awesome Mother's Day project.
I declare your new name to be "Wonder Woman" Mama Mandy doesnt do you enough justice. :))) this post made me smile. im glad you can look back and smile too.
ReplyDeleteHa! Thanks! I smiled as soon as I turned the key but I was near tears in the midst. Life is good!
DeleteI laughed out loud as I sat on the swing reading this! You are my hero! Badass Mama Mandy!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ad! It was fun reliving it through this post. I wish I could've been a fly on the wall! I bet those two older people went home and told their families about this "poor young mother who had a screaming baby...."
ReplyDeleteLOVE this post! You are awesome Mandy!
ReplyDeleteFound your blog through Kelly's! Im a mama to a 17 mo old baby girl, living in Baton Rouge, LA! I look forward to getting to know you :)
ReplyDeleteSweet! Hi from Ruston!
ReplyDeleteI love love love you, Badass! I needed that and yes, you are totally awesome. And can we PLEASE talk soon?? I'd love that!
ReplyDeletefound you through kelle~ would love to know what the final diagnosis was with harper? is there a quick link somewhere here to read the rest of her story...?
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing your mama love. it's inspiring!
Hey Amber! The crazy thing is that we never got a diagnosis, not even from Arkansas Children's! It started an pneumonia but they have no idea "how" she got the infection in her lungs that lingered for so long! They could never grow a bacteria, germ, fungus, etc. I had to learn that we aren't guaranteed answers. I don't know how to make a quick link but you can read through the blogs from April and May of 2011, and a few in June! I was so proud of my girl last June when she danced in her recital just a week after coming home from the last hospital stay - with the pick line dangling from her arm! She was beautiful! I looked at your blog and your photos are great! Where do you live??
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