Ruby's Life: April 2010

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Stalker Mom

My husband and I went and did our grocery shopping on Saturday.We shop at Sam's warehouse and when we go in we each get a shopping cart and start filling them up.We usually take a couple of the kids with us and leave the others at home with our teenagers.This time out we just took our 6 year old daughter and Ruby with us.I always carry Ruby on my back in her Ergo carrier.Ruby loves riding on my back in the carrier,she looks around and chatters and sings,peaks out around my back and calls for her daddy, pats my back and runs her fingers in my hair,and then by the end of shopping has fallen sound asleep.

We were about halfway through shopping, I had my cart packed with groceries and my 6 yr old had tired of walking and was now in my cart, when in the back of the store I saw a young woman who had Down syndrome, and an older woman who I assumed was her Mother. They walked past me and I looked over at my husband and smiled. He whispered to me "Say something to them if you want."
So off I go, trying to catch up with the Mother and daughter, me with Ruby on my back and a full cart of groceries and a 6 yr old! I got close enough to say something and the Mom answered her cell phone.Well I couldn't be rude and interupt, so I just kept walking slowly behind them. The Mom was still on the phone and she took off on a jog, the daughter started running right along with her and they turned down a row and were out of sight. Now I'm thinking ok, just give up. But I couldn't, I had to say something to them.
I always miss opportunities like this and I didn't want that to happen again.
I went down the row and out the other side, looking back and forth, and finally saw them at the front of the store at a check out. I could see that it must have been the Dad that called on the phone, saying hurry I'm at the front of the line now. Slowly I walked up, thinking what in the world will I say, and these people are gonna think I'm looney. I walked up to the Dad who was standing on the outside of their flatbed cart and said,"Excuse me sir,is this your daughter?" He looked at me kind of sideways and said,"Why yes she is." I said smiling,"Well I just wanted to say Hi because I have a special daughter too," and I turned a little and pointed to Ruby on my back. At that moment seeing the smiles light up their faces made my crazy chase through the store worth it. I asked the Mom how old her daughter was and she told me she was 30,she then said how beautiful Ruby was and also noticed my other daughter in my cart and said she was beautiful too.I smiled at the young woman with Ds and said this is my baby,Ruby.She looked up and smiled at me and started smiling at Ruby and patting her.I didn't want to keep them because I could see that they were almost done checking out so I said,I just wanted to say Hi and started to walk away. Ruby was turning and looking at them and they were waving and saying goodbye to her.
I wish I had left my blog address with them or my cell number or something. I think I'm going to make up and print out a few cards to give when I meet other parents.
When I told my 15 year old daughter this story she smiled at me and said," Mom, your a stalker." Yep, that's me :)