Every Trip to the Grocery Store

I have a tendency to focus on dogs, but earlier today? A teeny-tiny toddler in pigtails and light-up sneakers blew me a kiss. In that moment, the floofiest of puppies could have passed right in front of me, and I wouldn’t even have noticed.

If all these women offering to hold all the babies and compliment the mamas could congregate at my local Trader Joe’s tomorrow at 8AM (or better yet, my next family vacation!), I have a set of Irish twins (22 months and 10 months) that you are welcome to hold and entertain 🤣 – Signed, A Grateful Mama Who Is Also Very Tired

When my now-16-year-old was a just-talking baby (12-18 months?), she would perform this hilarious greeting to strangers as we made our way through the grocery store: She would look at a stranger from her perch in the cart and gently say, “Hi!” If the stranger didn’t reply, she would say it louder: “HI!” And if the stranger still didn’t reply, she would lean their direction and yell, “HIIIIIIII!” This usually got a response (and a smile). Better still, if we were walking the opposite direction down the aisle from the stranger and then we both turned down the NEXT aisle from opposite sides, the ritual would begin again with the same person, as if my daughter hadn’t just hollered her greeting to them 30 seconds before. So sorry to all the introverts who just kept having to talk to a cute and chatty baby 15 years ago in Denver-area grocery stores! 😉🤣

Babies always stare at me in public places. I wave and smile back. 🙂 I work with toddlers and they just seem to be drawn to me. When there’s a little one having a meltdown , it hurts my heart. I try and read the Mom’s face to see if she’s okay with me trying to calm or redirect the little one’s attention. 👶🏻 💛

I don’t have kids but I love waving at babies and making silly faces back. They’re so new!

I ran into a parent of one of my kid’s friends at a crowded multi-school sports event. He was standing next to a woman holding a baby. The conversation went: “Hiya! (Very quick small talk). Who’s the baby?!?”
Shrug (they didn’t know each other).
It felt like a bar scene where I was desperate to be introduced to the cute friend—but it was a baby being held by his (now nervously laughing mother).
Then I said, “bummer. I was hoping to hold that baby.” And then could not believe I’d let myself act so bonkers! The magic spell of cuties with giant eyes and feety jams!

Stranger babies love me. I can’t tell you how many times a baby has spotted me from across Target or Costco and just been enthralled to the point of leaning around their parent to smile at me. My face must be hella symmetrical.

How about the time I was in the grocery store with 3 young children (now teens) – they were probably 2, 3, and 5 – I was so stressed and trying to get through the store and they were fighting, and a lady tapped me on the shoulder while I was trying to check out my yogurt options. “That one just threw up.” And she walked away! Then I was wiping throw up off the grocery store floor with baby wipes with a full grocery cart and 3 cranky kids. Ha! Hilarious story to me now, but I don’t know how I didn’t plop myself down and cry!

THIS is 100% my husband. Oldest of six, cared for his sibs. Worked until he was 70 because of kids. Retired and now is a public school crossing guard-kids! Always smiles at children when they cross our path (market, movies, park). Sometimes I wonder if he freaks other adults out as he gladly, quickly interacts but no one has ever asked him to stop.

I absolutely LOVE it when strangers tell me (or mutter under their breath) how cute my 5 month old baby is. It makes the winter outfit dressup and going outside hustle and bustle worth it and more. :)

Babies and young children always stare and smile at my husband, and it warms my heart when he smiles and interacts with them. He jokingly says its because he looks like a clown, but I remind him that most kids are terrified of clowns and that I think its because they sense his kind heart. :) Babies are so intuitive!

So I’m not such a creepy weirdo?!

I used to be a teacher but now I’m working at Trader Joe’s. I get so excited when a baby or little one comes through my check out lane. Honestly, sometimes I’ll hurry through a transaction so I can get the family before someone takes them from my line haha I just love the little kids!

Ok, this feels weird to admit, but I do exactly this and then my eyes tear up? I just love babies and kids and saying nice things to strangers. Going to earmark this for therapy…

I feel like to my core, I do not trust people who don’t smile or wave at babies and toddlers – there is something seriously wrong with such people – I mean, they are so new in this world and so cute! The other day while on our honeymoon having lunch, this little toddler was smiling/waving the whole time at my husband and it was adorable to see the two of them interact- it’s flattering when a child can sense you have a kind, warm presence, isn’t it?!

My husband told me I have to stop asking strangers if they need me to hold their baby. I can’t help it! My babies are bigger now and I miss that soft baby skin!

I love it when people tell me how adorable my baby is! Not so much the lady in the grocery store who upon hearing my son’s funny noises said he sounded like he was possessed. But it’s a very funny story!

As the mother of teenagers I have started doing this. But I also stare at my teens – they are beautiful to me.

As the pregnant parent of a toddler I ask you, please don’t play it cool! I love it when people acknowledge my cute baby in public, and often it’s a good reminder for me to not get so caught up in the hard work of it all that I miss seeing the soft cheeks and smiling eyes staring up at me from the grocery cart.