Here we go...
Right before we left for Iowa, Max and I made our Friday pilgrimage to HEB for groceries. In an effort to add some pizazz to the ordinary, I slapped on my favorite necklace and painted the ol' pout in a punchy shade of pink. Our weekly trips to the grocery store are fairly predictable (read: imminent meltdown by the freezer section), so I try my best to up the fun factor by arming myself with cute accessories and a freshly doodled list. Hey, whatever works, right?!
Upon arriving at HEB on this memorable day, I strapped Max into his Ergobaby Carrier and we began tackling our list. A few elderly folks came over to coo at the babe and exchanged stories about their grandchildren. They mentioned how well-behaved Max was and I half-heartedly joked, "We'll see if you still think that when you see us at checkout." After conquering the produce with ease, we continued to shuffle up and down the aisles only stopping when absolutely necessary. Over the past eleven months, I've learned that coming to a halt for more than ten seconds can cause the child to become restless increasing our chances of becoming a Swell Rio spectacle. Unfortunately, HEB has been the scene of these Fine incidents more times than I care to admit. Yikes!
As we made our way through the store like bandits, I was baffled by Max's pleasant nature. From time to time, he'd grab my chin and lips, but I didn't think much of it because he wasn't crying. Is it okay if I repeat that part? He was NOT crying. Oh. Em. Gee. Hallelujah! The closer we got to the dairy and frozen foods, the more I began to wonder what I'd done differently to cultivate such a positive experience this time around. Could it be like this EVERY Friday?? I obviously knew we were just minutes away from getting in line at the cash register, so there was a really good chance the meltdown was still coming, but this baby of mine seemed different today. To prove he was a changed Max, he didn't fuss at all while checking out. Who stole my baby and replaced it with this angel??
Slightly confused with an urge to click my heels, I pushed the grocery cart to the car with the goofiest smile painted on my face. I proceeded to unload the groceries while showering Max with oodles of compliments and kisses. "Who's the best baby? In. The World." I placed him in his car seat and handed him his favorite toy and bottle. All I could think about was the celebratory drink I planned to pick up at Starbucks on our way home from the store. It was earned, my friends! SUCCESS!!
After starting up The Rig, I cranked the air conditioning and took a moment to look in the rear-view mirror. Something was caught in my eye and it had been distracting me since the cereal aisle, so I took off my sunglasses and leaned closer for further inspection. It was only then that I realized my face (from the lips down) was covered in smeared lipstick. Yep, I'm talking about matte and magenta. Suddenly I recalled EVERY moment Max grabbed at my lips and touched my face. Are you kidding me?? Then I thought about all of the people who saw me like this and never said a word. Oh, no! I erupted in nervous laughter at the sight of myself and grabbed a wet wipe to clean up the mess on my face. Let me just tell you, when they advertise long-wearing, they're not kidding.
I really should have seen this coming. Because when life with Max feels too easy and I feel the slightest bit confident, something is probably off. Now please excuse me while I find my brightest shade of lip color and smother this wily babe with kisses as payback.
Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!
P.S. Lip illustration via Donald Robertson's EmoJi Collection. Get it here. You won't regret it. Promise.
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