For this Season

I have had several experiences over the past several months that have reminded me that I am clearly dealing with two very different stages of life. For example, yesterday Carson and I went to the mall to buy some summer clothes (because NOTHING fits her from last year.....she has gone up two sizes in the last 3 months). She wanted to go to Hollister to look for some shirts?!? Ok, I thought, "We can do that".....but all the while I am thinking, "What about Gymboree"? Have you ever been in Hollister? It is very dark, the music is extremely loud, the mannequins are half-naked, the cologne will knock you over, and there is NOT ONE PERSON working in that store over the age of 14! I didn't want to be "uncool", so I put a smile on and off we went. She did find 2 t shirts (on sale in the back....how we ever found them I do not know since there are no lights on in the place), we paid, and we left...whew!

When we got home we discovered that one of the shirts did not fit! Shoot! So this morning Harper and I head back to the mall for an exchange. This is where I get to the "baby" stage of life I am in........I forgot until I got there that there are 2 sets of stairs you must climb before you can even get in the store. So here I go, hiking her stroller up and down those stairs. I make my way back to get another shirt and Harper kicks her shoe off. Well, I can't look for it because I CAN'T SEE....remember IT'S DARK! Finally some 12 year old (I guess the 6th grade is out today) brings it to me.....I'm sure he knew it was mine because there were no other moms with strollers in the place. I take my new shirt to the counter and have a 5 minute "yelling" match with the boy behind the counter.....remember the music is so loud you can't hear! As I am hiking the stroller back up those same steps to leave I hear an employee say "have a good day." I turn just in time to see the underwear of this young girl that is laying on top of a half-naked male mannequin as she was dressing him for a display!! At least she used some manners.......