Oh-So-Clever

So, first of all, you should know it doesn't take much to make me feel clever, especially since becoming a mom and losing so many precious brain cells. Regardless, I am delighted to tell you about two recent incidents that made me feel oh-so-clever in a very "mommy" way.

I hate grocery shopping. Like with a passion. That kind of hate. But each and every week I make my list (or sometimes I roll sans-list) and head to one of the local markets. Oh, that's a clever little play-on-words that sometimes makes me hate the grocery store a little less ... I call it the market because it sounds somewhat less awful ... dontcha think?

To make the whole experience just a smidgen more complicated, Natalie inevitably needs a snack while at the market. Pushing the cart, digging for said snacks in the diaper bag, ... and making her feel "independent" enough to feed herself ... all while pushing a cart and navigating through the aisles and grabbing groceries from the shelves ... let's just say, it's no easy task. Oh, I know a few moms that make it look totally easy, enviably easy, but I am not one of those moms. Well, I felt semi-like one of those moms with this bit of cleverness ...

This is what I did in my moment of sheer brilliance. As I was fumbling with this whole snacking-shopping situation, I was surprised to find that there was actually a bib in my diaper bag - I'm pretty hit-or-miss with remembering that all-important piece of baby gear. After securing it around her neck, I put a handful of Veggie Booty in the pouch. Natalie figured out my plan within mere seconds; pulling one piece after another out of the bib and popping them in her mouth. She was delighted and gave me a toothy grin to let me know that she approved of my newfound cleverness. Not only did the front of her shirt stay clean, but also she was able to feed herself and I was able to have both hands on the cart and a larger fraction of my brain on the grocery shopping.

Just today hubby, Natalie, and I headed to Chipotle to grab a quick lunch before heading to Safeway (seriously, it's all about food ... buying it, eating it). As I plopped baby girl in the high chair and contemplated the guacamole she was about to devour, I couldn't find that oh-so-handy bib that should've been in the diaper bag. So what did this clever mama do? I grabbed two napkins! I unfolded them both making a double layer and proceeded to tuck that ghetto, WT, Mac Gyver'ed bib into the collar of her shirt. It wasn't waterproof, obviously, but it did a good job keeping the guacamole from staining her adorable pink polka-dot shirt! Chad watched all this - a process that took all of about 10 seconds from conception to fruition - with a totally bemused look on his face. A look that clearly said, "You are oh-so-clever!"