Hit and Run and Cry

I've always heard of kids who hated their car seats and wondered if my child would be like that.  I mean, I wouldn't blame him.  They are basically strapped down in a hot box looking at what is essentially a blank canvas.

 

As luck would have it, Jack doesn't mind the car seat or stroller at all...until he does.  Then all hell breaks loose, we have a code red melt down, and I either have to carry him home in one arm pushing the stroller with the other, or I try to rationalize with a 5 month old from the driver's seat and assure him we are almost home and there is no need to cry.

 

Neither of those situations is working out very well for me.

 

Source

So I have to learn to majorly prioritize my time with Jack in the car.  He has a threshold of about one errand per session in the car seat. 

 

 

 

Yesterday I made the mistake of going to Goodwill GCF to donate some clothes before going to the grocery store.

 

The second we made the drop he started screaming.  So now the poor people of Wilmington can get a great deal on the unused lingerie from my bachelorette party that I just found in my attic, but I can't have my daily dark chocolate square.  Oh the horror!

 

Yesterday I also tried in vain to take Jack on a power walk.  Usually he waits until I reach the farthest point of my walk to totally lose it, so that I have to haul ass back to my house looking like a negligent mother with a screaming baby roaming the streets.  Yesterday I tried a new tactic of weaving in and out of the 3 closest streets.  Sure I would look like a lost idiot, but at least I wouldn't end up miles away with the unhappiest baby of summer.

 

I may look laid back, but just wait for it...

 

I only made it about 10 minutes before I had to carry him home, but the real insult of my walk came from a gypsy looking stranger on a bike (with no helmet!) while Jack was still in the stroller crying.  She waited until she was like 30 yards away from me and then said, "Cover his face up!" and made a little motion to cover his face.

 

Thanks, but no thanks, you imperfect stranger.  His face was covered up!  He was crying because he's a baby!  It was my first Insult and Bike Away situation as a mother.  And hopefully the last?

 

Source

 

I can't wait to see that unsafe helmetless gypsy again.  If she tries to give more unsolicited, incorrect parenting advice, she is going to have a mad, winded, mother running after her.  I have a strict rule about not engaging with crazy people, but this is just too inappropriate to let slide.

 

It's ok to stop a mom you don't know and tell her her baby is adorable.  But it's just not OK to drive another 30 seconds away and then insult her parenting skills.