Have you ever felt like you are the product of first cousins?

Because that is how we felt after our golden parenting moment this afternoon. P was helping me dress SS for an afternoon of shopping, before returning to work. The irony there slays me too. Getting high tops on SS, on any child, can be challenging, especially when they are not on a cooperating mood. SS did not want P to leave, so she set out to stretch his task as long as possible. Once done, they headed downstairs. I was still upstairs when I heard SS happily stating that she wanted her "pirate boots on." This is where P sometimes surprises me, if it was me, SS would have remained in her red Chucks. But P is a good Baba, and he set out to change SS's shoes. When I came downstairs he was struggling with one boot. Very normal for him to assume that SS was milking it again. P made a comment under his breath about how determinately obstinate SS can be, while SS said "I can't." As the dutiful wife that I am (shut up, I could be), I agreed with my husband, while he finally got that boot on. P moved on to unzip the next boot and I saw something inside, and out fell a sock. I quickly asked P to unzip the already in place boot, and there was the other sock. We had a good laugh at ourselves, and once again wondered if our genetic tree branches. If there is a campaign against inbreeding we are shoo ins as poster children.

By the way, if your toddler fancies a fedora do not oblige. We are not referring to what we know is a temporary fixation on SS's part. Apparently those things are attention magnets, something we do not need nor want. Our shopping jaunt was sheer hell, because everyone and their freaking annoying mother had to take a look, and stop to comment. SS came through for me, even though I feared hypersensitivity on her part after yesterday. Our girl handled it like a pro, not a single meltdown or outburst after a few rather intrusive (into her personal space) incidents. Wish I could say I did as well. How does she do it? How does she have such patience and poise in public, then falls apart at home over the smallest thing? We were gone for four hours, and she was a champ, so proud of her.

The best part of our afternoon happened when a friend found us while grocery shopping. How did she find us? She heard SS's voice and followed it, saw us by the bulk foods and said "I know that voice." I knew we are loud, I knew SS is getting louder, but I was still surprised to be located that way. While embarrassing for me, my friend had just received bad news and it was good to be able to give her a big hug, catch up and share a few laughs. SS was what she needed and I am glad my empathetic girl was able to make her feel better. This is the extent of SS's front stage personality, I was about to get her jelly beans when I saw my friend. Obviously sidetracked, jelly beans were forgotten. SS waited a reasonable amount of time and politely (not kidding) asked for her jelly beans. She got them. So if anyone ever needs to find us, just follow the voice(s).

Obviously still hot and heavy with her hat, although I suggested she leave it at home. No, I never learn.

SS is getting pretty good with her impersonations. Here she is channeling the girl from The Ring:



The real thing:
We know, that was kind of mean and SS has no chance with us a role models, and as her moral compass.