Spilled Milk

Yesterday I decided to brave the grocery store with the baby for the first time. Well, truthfully, we were out of food, so I had to brave the grocery store. We've been before, but always with my mom or Jon. It went surprisingly well. Benjamin didn't cry in the carseat on the way to the store (he doesn't usually like the carseat). He didn't cry when I put him in the stroller. He seemed to like looking around and hearing all the sounds of the store. I put the groceries (mostly frozen meals and steamable vegetables) in the bottom basket of the stroller and headed for the checkout. All the while, I'm thinking how great this is all going. We check out. Our groceries are bagged--two plastic bags, one with a gallon of milk and one with all of the other groceries--and we go to the parking lot happily. I again have the groceries in the stroller basket. I am at a store that has special parking for new and expecting mothers, so I have a great spot right out front. I put Benjamin in the carseat first. He starts to fuss a little when I strap him in, so I start to hurry through the rest of my routine. I pick up the first bag of groceries and put it in the car. Then I reach for the milk bag. I have forgotten to lock the stroller wheels and it starts to roll a little. I try to catch it while still trying to get the bag and CRASH!!! I drop the bag in the parking lot. I wince as I look down to see the plastic filling up and then overflowing with so many white ounces. It becomes a river of white in the parking lot, breaking off into several streams as it flows down. Benjamin is screaming. I am crying. I am embarrassed. I am hot. I fold up the stroller and throw it in the back and just drive off with a screaming baby and no milk.

Halfway home I suddenly remember something my mom always says: "Don't cry over spilled milk." That's when the humor of the situation hits me. Mom, you have no idea, I think. Then I start laughing, almost hysterically. My laughter stuns my screaming son and he stops. He starts cooing instead. By the time we get home, we are both in a much better mood. Jon goes and gets us milk and chocolate chip cookie dough later in the evening.