What swine flu?

On nice days, I like to strap Sadie in her stroller and walk to the grocery store. We always have a good time. . . at least until we get to the store.

The problem is, the stroller just doesn't have enough storage space for the things I need (and don't need) to buy. In fact, last week I decided to try to shop without a basket and ended up with a can of green chiles trapped tightly in one of the stroller's cup holders. Embarrassing. I finally got it out by flipping the stroller upside down when I got home. Don't worry, I took Sadie out first. So yesterday when I got to the store, I decided to grab a shopping basket. Between carrying the basket, pushing the stroller, and talking to my sister on my phone (it was a very important conversation, as it always is when Bethany calls) my hands were full. As you can likely imagine. I'm pretty sure I even ran into at least one person and a few displays.

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I made my way toward the pharmacy where I thought I would find diapers, which was really the only thing I really needed to buy. They weren't there. I was just browsing and talking to Bethany when I was stopped by a woman standing in the pharmacy line. "Oh my! Look at her! She's so precious! How old is she?" Ok, I guess I'm getting used to this kind of attention. Pushing a baby around is like wearing a sign on my forehead that says "Please talk to me, I'm desperately lonely!" So I told her that Sadie is nine weeks old. "Oh! Well aren't you just a pretty little baby! Hi sweetheart!" And then. . . she reached down and grabbed Sadie's little left hand. Wait-- aren't you standing in the line at the pharmacy? Maybe I shouldn't assume, but could that mean that you are sick?!? Now, I'm not usually a germ freak, but all this swine flu talk has me a little paranoid. "Well, she is pretty adorable". I smiled, said thank you, and resumed my shopping. Sadie fell asleep, thank God, because when she's awake, she loves to have her hands in her mouth. And I just didn't like the thought of that lady's germs in my baby's mouth. She slept all the way home.

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When we got home, I pushed the stroller into the living room and ran for the bathroom to grab my Norwex antibac washcloth. When I got back to Sadie, maybe three seconds later, this is what I saw:

Really, Sadie? You couldn't wait for three seconds? Gross. And you had to pick your left hand too. I took her hand out of her mouth and wiped it off, in hopes she hadn't slobbered up all of the germs.

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I guess this is what being a mom is all about. Maybe we should just stay home. . .