"Well, I'd Never...."

At twenty-something I remember walking through the stores and being appalled at parents who screamed at their kids in a store, cursed at them or brought them along wherever they went. Little did I know that I would be one of THOSE parents before I knew it. Kids will have you doing things you've never felt like doing before.

Have baby will travel.

After my child was born I was very protective of him, so much in fact that he went with me everywhere. If I had a meeting he tagged along and would entertain himself with whatever I had packed in the diaper bag. When you are in the company of people who don't have children yet or are opting not to they are not as excited to have your child present as you are. They are usually the same people that will shoot daggers at you from across the table. Boo hoo! Get over it, baby is here to stay.

Shop til we drop.

Nothing can suck the fun out of a shopping trip like a cranky baby. You have needs...you need to get out of the house and be around real people, over the age of 3 months. Baby may not be as excited to shop as you and protest loudly making your day out less than enjoyable. You could have sworn you would never be THAT girl in sweat pants and a half-hearted hair do shopping the sales with a screaming baby in tow. Calgon take me away!

Public shame, Aisle 4

How crazy did those mothers look yelling at their kids in the middle of housewares? What did that poor kid do to deserve that? I would never....oh yeah, famous last words. One of my childhood memories was about being chewed out by my mom at JCPenney's when I was being stubborn about a dress we were getting for a wedding. Right there in the middle of that store she had it out with me and I was mortified. When I have kids I would never....oh, yes I will. I may even be less eloquent about it, I may draw attention from consumers 3 aisles over. Be careful what you say, you may be eating your words.

Before we go passing judgment on that frazzled mom shopping in her curlers, 3 kids in tow, wearing 2 different shoes (how did she not notice?) and threatening to have a 3 way time out right then and there let's remember that Lord only knows what is in store for us. We may only hope to be that dignified and full of grace. God bless our mothers.