The Baby in the Baking Aisle

A few nights ago Katelynn and I made a quick dash to the grocery store to get a few things for something I had been wanting to bake. While we were in the baking aisle, a little girl came running in our direction. Blonde as can be, probably a little over 2 years old, and completely alone. There wasn't anyone between me and the parking lot and I was at least 3/4 of the way from the front of the store. I squatted down and asked her where her mommy was. She turned around to look down the aisle and I followed her gaze. I still didn't see anyone. Then I saw a cart crossing the front of the store with a car seat on top and a frantic mom pushing from behind. When she saw the little girl she pulled her cart back around to come down the aisle towards us. I don't remember all that she said to me, but she thanked me with a tired smile as she put her daughter in the basket. She turned the cart around and we saw she had an infant in the car seat, probably no more than a month old. I replied I know how it feels and she said something about not knowing which one to stay with - leave the baby to chase the toddler, or stay with the baby as the toddler runs off. I had to remember that she couldn't see the baby that I envisioned in my cart, and to her I really had no idea what it was like to have two little ones.
As she left, Katelynn said, "Mommy, she have baby! Baby cute!" And I replied affirmatively as I always do (or at least try to do!), "Yes, Katelynn she does have a baby, doesn't she?" And I heard myself quietly reply out loud, "I wish I had one too." It was one of those moments I have every once in a while where I catch a glimpse of what life was supposed to look like. I'm caught off guard and my eyes start to well up and my throat tightens. I could only imagine what her day had been like. Here it is dinner time and she's at the grocery store with both kids. How many times had she tried to run to the store but never made it out of the house? Or did she spend the day at work wishing to be with her kids? I don't know what her day was like, but in that moment I wished I too had a car seat in my cart, even if it meant chasing a 2 year old down the baking aisle.

I wasn't going to post that little incedent, but it's been rolling around in my head and making too much noise. I figured that if I wrote it down I might be able to get to sleep....we'll see if it works!