Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Weekend Update

Looking for my Idol review? Really, you are? Well, you know I wouldn't let you down! Click HERE!

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Yes, I am well aware that it is Wednesday, but seriously, it was the longest weekend ever.

First, my mom-in-law comes in for a visit. We actually brought her back here after going to MI for my niece's baptism. Our goal was to bring her back home with us and then leave for Florida for a week long vacation. Although she had a bit of the flu, she felt well enough to travel, so off we went. Unfortunately, what was thought to be a little stomach bug turned out to be serious enough to land my mom-in-law in the hospital. Nice, huh? She comes all the way here to . . . go to the hospital. In the last 15 months this woman has lost her husband, broken her hip, lost her mother, fallen down stairs and broken her wrist and bruised her back (at her mother's wake!), lost her brother-in-law, and now, a stomach bug that landed her in the hospital for over a WEEK!

After days and days of going back and forth to the hospital, we brought her home last Thursday. She rested for a couple days and then T took her back to MI. Wow. What a vacation for her . . . stinks. J and I stayed behind--I just couldn't imagine subjecting her to either six plus hours of crying or of me singing Old MacDonald. Just couldn't do it . . . As for mom-in-law's health--we still aren't sure what happened. The docs in my little town were at loss. She visits her PCP tomorrow. So, here's to hoping they find out what happened.

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My little sister, B or AB (for Angel Baby), came to visit. She was going to meet us in Florida, but you already know what happened there. She stayed for a few days and we had a blast together. Outside of the fact that she is having some "man issues," I think she enjoyed herself--she definitely laughed a lot, but then again, that is something she is never short on--laughter. (BTW: I love your laugh, B. Oh . . . JEEEEESUS! *said in sing song high voice*--I'll explain later.)

OK, funny moment . . . we were in Walmart. Little side note here . . . isn't it true that you can tell a town/city's make-up by visiting the nearest Walmart? Especially if you visit it at 11 at night? But, I digress . . . So, I make a brilliant move to use the self-checkout lane (made no sense, as I had several items and a baby in tow, but I HATE waiting in lines--one of those itty bitty annoying traits about me. As I'm checking out (AKA, using the non-user friendly touch screen that for some reason won't work with my alien fingers) and getting a little irritated that my items won't stack on the bagging area (I have to stack it because it won't sense that I bagged my item and won't let me move on . . . UGH). Anyway, the cashier in charge of all the self-checkouts comes over and starts playing with J.

J is all smiles, flirting with women, mirrors, and magazine racks. My sister is right there, so I'm perfectly OK with it. UNTIL, the checkout chick TAKES MY SON out of the cart and proceeds to walk with him over to her station. She keeps him in her lap while curious co-workers ask her if it is her grandson. She replies, "No, I just STOLE him from that lady." She points to me. I with a 103 items perilously stacked in the bagging area of the self-checkout lane. My sister is in what seems to be shock as I look over at her as if to ask, "What the hey?!?!" My sister quickly snapped into take-down mode and I was certain the she would have quickly taken said cashier out if she made an attempt to head for the door.

After bagging my items blindly . . . I had my eyes on cashier the entire time. I was smiling as if to say, "Hey, it is so OK that you are a stranger and grabbed my son without my permission." I was irritated. Beyond irritated. Now, I am a really nice person (interesting how I feel the need to point this out) and am NOT a freak about people coming up to J and talking to him, playing with him. However, grabbing him is another story. I have to go on another related tangent here . . . when J was all of two months old, a neighbor lady I had only briefly met two Halloween's prior when her daughter trick-or-treated, came over. She welcomed me to the neighborhood (I lived there for five years) and invited me to a dinner party with other neighbors (none of whom I knew). She congratulated me on the birth of J and was all geeked about getting her hands on him at the party. Well, the party was canceled. A few weeks later the lady comes over again. She chatted me up about the weather, her bad back, the rescheduling of the dinner (which still has yet to happen--and may never). She then asked to hold J. I said, "No. I really need to change him." You see, I really didn't think I had an issue with people holding J. I really didn't. The NO just came tumbling out. I felt kinda bad--she had such a hurt look on her face. She quickly said she understood and that was that. I had to add that I had been watching way too much Lifetime television and at least two or three of the films I watched had something to do with snatching babies--so, I was a little freaked out. FREAK being the operative word . . .

Back to Walmart. Something happened to the freak in me. As I made my way to grab my son back from this woman's arms, I noticed something. She had the hugest grin on her face. She handed him back to me and went on and on about being a grandmother. She was laughing and J was laughing. I was smiling. Sure she was a stranger. Sure she just grabbed my child out of the cart. Sure we were in Walmart. Sure it was weird. But, in an instant I was all calm. I chatted with her while B finished checking out. As we made our way for the door, B heard the granny cashier say, "Boy, did holding him just make my day." Hmmm . . . The freak in me smiled. BUT, the next time I go to Walmart . . . I'm putting him in a baby carrier and strapping him to my chest.

I leave you with J and his sweet potatoes . . .

So yummy! Who could resist? Oh, and I guess the baby is pretty delicious, too . . .


36 comments:

Kristen said...

Oh my goodness! I think I would have "FREAKED" out. I had this weird fear that someone literally was going to steal our first child. I think I might have flipped out if that happened.

Kudos to you on being so calm and collected, and as you said, she said it made her day. I guess only in Walmart is the education level so low in common sense that some one would not think to ASK you first. hhhmmmmmm.

Hope your mother-in-law is doing better, and glad you got to spend some time with your sister. Sounds like you had fun together.

Mighty Morphin' Mama said...

Your poor m-i-l, I hope she is alright.
I would have been pretty freaked by the baby snatching. Yikes! I think I would have acted like you though, I tend to be overly nice. I am glad it turned out so well, it sounds like he really touched her heart.

Rachel Holloway said...

You are SO funny! I about died laughing about your Walmart experience. WOW...what would i have done??? You're a good woman!

Hope everyone is on the up and up in your house now!!

tulipmom said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. My goodness she's had a rough year! I hope her PCP is able to figure out what's wrong.

Your Walmart story has me freaking out a little. I was just telling SB about how people used to come up to us all the time when he was a baby and want to touch him or talk to him (all part of my trying to prepare him for what like will be like once his sister is born) ..... but I have a feeling he WOULD snap into "take down mode" (love that phrase!) if some stranger tried to pick up his baby sister. Watch out world! :)

Karen said...

There are days that I wish the cashiers WOULD actually take my children. But I guess it would be different when it really happened.

Anonymous said...

I would have completely lost my mind.. I am not sure I would have been as calm as you.

Hope you MIL is feeling better.

PS. Those self check outs are my nemesis. LOL

Kat said...

Holy crap! I would have freaked out! That is soooooo not okay to just grab someone's baby! I don't care if it "made her day".
Nice that you remained calm, but I would have given her a piece of my mind!
So sorry about your MIL. Poor lady. I think she deserves a break here! Yipes! Hope she is feeling better and has some better luck, soon!

Lori said...

Hope your Mom in law finds her way to happier days ~ she has definitely had a run of bad luck.

Now your Wally World experience would have freaked me out too. I was thinking what would I have done & I probably would've handled it the same way. If your sister hadn't been with you, no way could the groceries have gotten sacked! ha!

Unknown said...

I hope your MIL is on the road to recovery. How much can one woman take anyway?

I would freak out too. In hindsight, I'm glad you didn't but you can't be sure until nothing happens. It's nice that you saw the joy he brought to that woman. On a side note, cashiers have more germs than you can imagine on their hands. They handle money all day.

Lori said...

Sorry about your MIL that totally stinks that she's had such a bummer year... I hope it gets better and soon

As for your experience in Walmart... I'm not sure I would have been that calm if someone took Blake from my cart at the store... no I know I wouldn't be. I too am fine with people coming up and talking to him (that is why it takes soooo long to shop) but don't you dare touch him!

Pregnantly Plump said...

I completely understand the "freak" coming out. I think it would have in all of us. I'm glad that it made the woman's day, but she really shouldn't have done that, especially without asking you first. Very weird. Hope your mother in law is ok.

KG said...

I would have exchanged some words with the cashier . . . hell, I exchange words with anybody who touches my kid!

Misty said...

Whoa. I am totally pissed off just READING about your Walmart excursion. Oh.My.Goodness.

Hold me back......

xoxo Misty

ConverseMomma said...

I am really sorry about your mother-in-law. As for your Wal-mart adventure, OMG! I would have flipped.

NH Yocal said...

Hope you MIL is feeling better. That stinks but I guess life sometimes throws you curveballs.

And whoa as for your Walmart thing, I would have been the same way, totally freaked out. That is inappropriate to just grab a kid and take them out of their seat. If she had asked or just played with him in the cart that would be another thing. Your son might have been scared by a total stranger grabbing him. Lucky kid though if he gets to stay up past 11. Mine conk out by 9!

huddtoo said...

Gosh, that's tough! On one hand you want to beat up the person who "stole" your baby, but then it makes their day and you feel like crap about it. But, what if she was some psycho who just wants to steal babies?? You just never know! Gotta watch your self. I do think it was totally wrong of her to just take J, I mean, why not ask??

Hope your MIL is doing better.

Burgh Baby said...

Sorry to hear about your MIL. I hope things get better for her soon.

I think I'm suddenly grateful that my daughter refuses to go within two feet of any strangers. She would have went into a category 5 meltdown if that lady had tried to pick her up and probably would have beat her senseless fighting to get back in the cart. While whe wouldn't have had the opportunity to make someone really happy, I wouldn't have to keep an eye on some odd stranger who just stole my kid.

Momisodes said...

I'm very sorry about your MIL. I hope she feels better.

That would have freaked me out! I'm not sure I would have been so calm. Kudos to you :)

just jamie said...

Remember when you were pregnant and people would assume it was okay to touch your belly? It's like that, only way more NOT OKAY! You handled it well.

And my goodness, your poor MIL. Sending good wishes her way!

Anonymous said...

It's been a rough time for your MIL. :( I hope she's feeling better soon!

As for Wal-Mart...oi. I would have freaked out. There are some women I kind of know with tiny babies, and although I would LOVE to hold them, I know I'm not much more than a stranger. So, I don't bother asking. The most I'll do is go up to small talk and MAYBE, maybe, touch a little baby foot. But geez, no way would I grab a kid up without mom's permission!!!

Maria said...

That is so weird about the Walmart lady! I don't know, maybe she was just the nicest person in the world and you shouldn't be upset by her harmless actions, but any person just taking your kid out of the cart and walking away? That nice lady probably could be fired for that!

Pam said...

I would have freaked out too! that is just so bold....I would never take someone else's baby without asking....especially not someone I don't even know! How crazy!

Lindsey said...

So sorry about your mother-in-law. I hope she feels better and soon. She is due to have like the easiest rest of her life.

Ok so the weirdo at Wal-mart....that woman is worse that some random person rubbing the prego belly (at Wal-mart, no less). You handled it so much better than I could have.

Amy said...

Wow you handled the Walmart woman much better than I think I would have. Though sometimes, the my inner self freezed because I might just blow up if I don't!

I hope your MIL is feeling better real soon.

You are so right about the correlation between Walmart and the makeup of a town - soooo right!

OHmommy said...

Oh... man. At first I was a little weirded out, like you were. But then, I guess everyone loves a baby. Especially a cute one.

Kamis Khlopchyk said...

Oh your poor MIL, I hope she has had the last of her bad experiences, enough is enough for one woman.

And the lady at Wal-Mart, I would have freaked my freak! It's too bad that a few losers have scared us all so that a nice little lady can't hold our children without us getting worried. I am glad you worked it out though:-)

Kamis Khlopchyk said...

Oh your poor MIL, I hope she has had the last of her bad experiences, enough is enough for one woman.

And the lady at Wal-Mart, I would have freaked my freak! It's too bad that a few losers have scared us all so that a nice little lady can't hold our children without us getting worried. I am glad you worked it out though:-)

Lindsey said...

oh and that baby....he is a doll! i could just eat him (and the sweet potatoes) up! PRECIOUS!

KATE said...

Ok wow, that was one hell of a story! I would have FREAKED! I mean really. I understand the little granny turned out to be okay & needed a baby J snuggle, but honestly!

You are so right! Walmart does show what kind of town you live in. It can be quite frightening!

Angie @ KEEP BELIEVING said...

Wow. that is an earful. YOu are a girl after my own heart. I feel like I need to go get another cup of coffee and would like to know if I can get you anything while I am up.

So sorry about your m-i-l. Honestly, I will pray for her since she has been through SOOO much. I hate it when someone is no stranger to pain and heartache.

Good Wal-mart story. I used to hate taking my babies to my grandma's less than clean (actually filthy, GROSS) house. She was not on speaking terms with my mom for her own selfish reasons, but my mom would always insist that whatever gma's ridiculus bif with mom was, was not with me. So, I would begrudgingly take him to visit her (a few doors down from my mom). It would MAKE HER STINKING MONTH! She LOVED IT. She was beaming happy and LOVED to hold him. So I learned that Gavin would be okay and we would all be more blessed to get over it. Now that she is gone, I am so glad I did it.

KEEP BELIEVING

kellyo75 said...

Holy geez! I would have freaked if some woman took my baby, too. ESPECIALLY in Wal-Mart. Have you SEEN the type of people who frequent that place? Yowza!

kellyo75 said...

OH and your poor MIL. I hope she is doing much better!

Are You Serious! said...

Wow! I'm really surprised that she did that! I'm thinking it's a big no no in for employees to do that!

I'd have freaked out too...

Anonymous said...

I still can't believe this story. At least she wasn't a freak. J is so cute. Look at those eyes!

Cheffie-Mom said...

Aww, hope you mother-in-law feels better! On the flip side, I LOVED your Walmart story!! Sooo FUNNY! I am so happy I found your blog! I am new to the blog world but I would love to hear from you. Hope you have a great weekend. :)

Wineplz said...

wow...I think I would've flipped if someone pulled my kid out of the cart...but I have read too many stories about kids being snatched.

and I hope your MIL is better (now that I'm finally getting caught up on all my reading) :)

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