In the grocery store

Yesterday on the way home from work Eliot, Evan and I stopped by the grocery store. This is something we do many times a week. The grocery store is such a great place to help toddlers learn boundaries as they are learning about the world. It is such a busy interesting place. Being 2 and 3 years old they like to walk most of the time but sometimes they like to ride in the buggy (that's what we call a shopping cart in Alabama). I took my time and let them pick out some of the things they wanted for dinner. We ended up with cherry tomatoes and hummus. That's not too bad!! Evan even asked to go to the potty in public. He has never done that. I was so proud of him for asking without being prompted. (He is one of my later toilet training kids.) As we were about to check out a mom walked in with a baby in a car seat carrier. It was an itty bitty new baby. She was struggling as to how to get the car seat in or on the buggy. I watched from a distance and went ahead and checked out our food. I could not stop thinking about this mom. Maybe this was her first child. Maybe it was a new seat and she did not know how to use it. I just felt compelled to go find her. I found her with my toddlers in tow. I gentle asked her if she had a new little one. She proudly said yes. I did not jump right in and show her how to securely latch the seat on the buggy. I did not want her to think I was all in her business. I casually looked at the buggy and seat and said, "Oh, these buggies are so tricky. You know, this part latches on just right to keep it from wobbling." The mom adjusted the seat looked at me with a smile and told me thank you. The seat was secure. The baby was safe and I don't think I stepped on her toes. I could have just walked out of the store but something just made me turn back around. Now, next time I might show her how to use a carrier instead, but I didn't want to go there this time!! I'll just drop it that she had a bottle tucked into the seat with the baby who was 3 weeks old. Maybe it was expressed breast milk. I didn't ask. I wanted to help not change the world! Well, I do want to change the world but I have to pick my battles!!