The Day I Battled the Old Women

**I have to preface this by saying that I am open to some gentle correction if I appear to be mismanaging my parenting responsibilities. For instance, if it is 20 degrees out but I am parading Daphne around in a bathing suit, you may kindly tell me she possibly needs a bit more clothing. If on a Sunday morning during the sermon at church Daphne is sitting next to me on the pew screaming her head off and yet I am doing nothing, it is fine if you let me know she probably needs to be taken out. See? I am a very reasonable person.**

David has a training day today so therefore is working day shift. I love day shift! So fun. Daphne and I went shoppin' and got home with time to spare before her afternoon nap. We have a stroller that was given to us but we have never used because Daphne likes the Ergo so much. But it is a beautiful day so I decided to take her for a walk and try out the stroller to see how she would like it.

After freaking out for a minute because she couldn't find me behind her, she just relaxed and enjoyed being outside. Can't you tell how thrilled she was?



















We got to the park where we met two little old ladies on the pathway. One commented that Daphne might need a hat because it's a little chilly out. I said Daphne was actually very warm, but is also going through the stage where the second I put a hat on her she pulls it right off. I am very sad over this fact as Daphne has many beautiful hats just sitting in her hat box when I would rather they were sitting on her head. But you know. She's 1. What can I do?

This answer did not satisfy the one lady as she proceeded to stick her hand down Daphne's shirt to check her body temperature, and then even after commenting that Daphne was indeed quite warm, pulled her hoodie onto her head and tried to zip up her sweatshirt as far as it would go. Daphne started crying at this point. The old me, the pre-mom me, who often times would let people say or do tactless things to me while I hardly batted an eye, she just disappeared and out came the new me. Bold, brazen, and fearless I said that I would rather Daphne's zipper not be pulled any higher as it will leave red scratches on her neck, and, here comes the zinger, said "well, I'm her mama and I know her pretty well. I knew she was warm enough."

This may not be very impressive, but I was just so glad I stood up for myself. I knew Daphne was fine. I knew a too-high zipper would bug her and scratch her neck. I knew it and I said it! I am so proud of myself.

Oh yeah, I was very respectful and kind. Promise. The lady even apologized. Whew!

So I'm going to go make myself a super-mom cape now, because today I battled and today I won. Let this be a lesson to anyone who tries to stick his or her hand down the shirt of a baby you are not blood related to.

Daphne giving me a little salute: