A true mother

I was at the grocery store today purchasing some corned beef (for some fab corned beef sandwiches with cole slaw - yum!) when I happened to hear a child in distress . . . O.K. - it was more than distress, it was wailing and gnashing of teeth. I thought that I recognized the wail (we were in the the bathroom taking another potty break), and when I came out of the restroom I saw my friend Heidi and her two 20-month-old twin boys, one of whom was the loud culprit.

He was inconsolable, and she quickly told me he was going through one of "those phases." I told her I was sorry and I tried to help by making him laugh, but it only caused him to scream more. I then remembered a similar incident when Annie was about that age. I believe I left the store with both of us crying. I was terribly embarrassed and almost didn't go back to the store again for fear that I would be tagged as a bad mother. Of course, I now know that nobody thinks that - everyone feels sorry for the mom and realizes that everyone has those kinds of days.

So now, with little screaming boy in the cart, she sat and talked to me for a few minutes. She is grace personified. She smiles and makes as much small talk as her boy will allow. And then she says something that makes her a true mother in my book - "Oh, and strawberries are on sale. You need to get a bunch."

What is the definition of true motherhood? Knowing that a wicked deal on produce is so much more important than being embarrassed.

Love you Heidi!