a little bliss

This morning I went for a haircut, and a trip to the library, Target, Whole Foods and a quick pop into Starbucks. It was divine.
When I left my kiddos were off for a walk in the crisp air with their daddy and when I returned lunch was done and naps were in progress. 
To this momma this is otherwise known as pure bliss.

I enjoyed every single second of my me time. Just as it should be.

However, everywhere I went there was a mom who wasn't having a pure bliss day...

At the library, my heart sunk, listening to the overwhelmed mom of 4 (I think, I was having a hard keeping count as they dashed and darted around) -- I heard her tone and I recognized it. It was exhausted, trying to be upbeat and do-the-right-thing at the public library, but ohmigosh will you please just pick out your books and sit in the stroller, and no we cannot get that video.

At Target, there was the mom of two, one in a infant carrier, the other a toddler. When I first spotted her the infant was sleeping and the toddler appeared to have dozed off in the cart too. I had a twinge of jealousy -- how come my children never sleep on outings & allow me to browse the Target clothes in peace? Not ten minutes later, I saw the toddler darting out of a rack of clothes and then her mom come wheeling around the corner with an exasperated look on her face -- mixed with a touch of panic as her child had gotten out of sight. I pointed in the direction I had spotted her & said "pink tights, right?"
In the cosmetics aisle I heard wailing from several aisles away and couldn't resist strolling that way -- I might need, ummm, toothpaste. There was a less than one year old screaming at the top of her lungs, refusing the sippy cup that seemed to be mom's only hope. I couldn't help but remember Rebecca's first trips out (mostly to Target) which all ended with a lot of screaming and me hanging my head as I scooped up the necessary items (toilet paper for example) and hoped for short check out lines.

At Whole Foods, there was a precious nearly one year old, sucking on an organic mushed fruit packet in the front of her cart. She seemed happy, needs met, content. When they checked out, I just happened (no really) to be behind them. Mom was buying the same organic baby food my little one has now outgrown and I wanted to get her address and send her our leftovers. I resisted. As I left the store, mom was returning with marked look of concern on her face. Keys lost. Somewhere between the car and the store and checking out. Oh no. I offered to help her look for them, as a store manager took over.

It was my morning of bliss. But as I headed home, I felt a little guilty. Those mommas needed a little bliss too.
We all do.
Hopefully, next time I am out with both kids and Rebecca is demanding to stand in the front of the cart on one leg and Durham is arching his back in the front carrier and pulling my hair and biting my chin, one of these moms will stroll past me sipping their green tea from Starbucks and smile and think lovingly of their children at home.