Things I learned recently PART FOUR...

The Rule of Wipes

I learned that when you leave the house without wipes (because you plum forgot the container in the diaper bag was empty), your baby WILL poop his pants, despite the fact he'd already pooped that morning.

The Napkins

I learned that unused McDonald's napkins and water from a who-knows-how-old water bottle found rolling around in the van WILL make halfway-decent-not-the-greatest-but-better-than-nothing make-shift wipes

The Screamer

I learned that when your baby is screaming while out shopping, you shouldn't just always assume it's because he's unhappy being strapped (tightly) into the cart. You MAYBE should assume it's because he has a poopy diaper. And you PROBABLY should also assume it's of the acidic variety, where his little bum is being eaten alive to the point of bleeding in some areas after your 20 minute shopping trip.

The Parents

I learned that it's a pretty good bet that the people in the store who look at you and your screaming child sympathetically are parents themselves or even grandparents, and that the people who glare and/or make rude comments ARE PROBABLY NOT. After a snippy comment from one young gal about how I shouldn't be so selfish and be out running errands while my baby is obviously miserable (in my defense, we'd only arrived a few minutes before, I knew I wouldn't be long, and I paid the toll to cross the bridge and I wasn't going home without getting what I went out for!!), a middle-ish-aged gentleman came up and said he's got two at home just like mine and that sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. AMEN!

The Nap

I learned that a baby will probably take a good long nap after such an ordeal. Such a good long nap that he won't even wake up when you arrive at DQ to purchase an ice cream cake for his daddy's birthday. Or when you buckle him back into the carseat. Or when you stop off at a friend's house to load her daughter's booster seat into the car.

The Goofball

Lastly, I learned that despite sitting in a poopy diaper getting a sore tush, and despite screaming during a shopping trip, and despite having a too-early/too-short nap, your baby can still manage to be sweet and happy and GOOFY.