Krogering with a Happy Baby

I love taking Anna Claire out in public now that she's older, mobile, talking, and happy. Just months ago, I would get anxious taking her out to run even the smallest errand. She is now talking to everyone and making friends everywhere she goes, and is just absolutely fun, funny, and precious.

Today, we made a run to Kroger to pick up things I knew Larry wouldn't be able to find on his weekly outing to Walmart. We made three loops through the floral department so Anna Claire could ooh and ahh and point out the HUNDREDS of pink and red valentines balloons: "Hotes! (hearts)" "Wed! (red)" "Boon! (balloon)". I must admit, I even gave them a few "wows" myself.

We made a brief stop to get some bananas. They were nice and green. Walmart's are a little too ripe for me, if you're looking at making them last a week. Anna Claire's face beamed, "Nana! Nana! Nana! Mmmmmmmm!  Eat! Eat!" I'm sure everyone in the produce department heard this announcement. Anna Claire then enjoyed rattling a bag I gave her from pulling one too many off  the roll for the bananas.

As we made our way to up and down the aisles of the store, Anna Claire said, "Hi!" to everyone, receiving lots of "What a beautiful/cute baby!" compliments to which she is replying, "Awwww." Also, at one point she dropped her snack trap and a cute four-year-old little boy picked it up and handed it to her. He received an "Awwww" as well.

Anna Claire enjoyed looking in everyone's shopping carts and naming what was in their carts. "Nanas!" she called to one lady must have had twenty bananas in her cart. She stopped and shared with us that her grandchildren are calling her "Nana" and that she did not like being called a fruit. "Hum! (ham)!" Anna Claire proudly announced to another. I did not see ham, but I have no doubt in my mind that there was ham or something resembling ham in there. "Waffoo (waffle)!" Yes, I did see waffles in that cart.

In the frozen foods section I hear Anna Claire say, "Hat! Hat!" I look up and down the aisle and spot the African American gentleman in the black pinstriped hat headed in the opposite direction. "Oh yes, baby. That is a nice hat." She smiled, delighted that I saw it too.

In the checkout line, I pulled a Mountain Dew out of the soda cooler, Anna Claire reached for it right away, "Daddy!" The Mountain Dew was for Daddy; she had recognized the oh so familiar green bottle. I told her she could give the Mountain Dew to him when we got home. "Awwww."

When we got home, I reached in the bag for Larry's Dew which she quickly grabbed from me and handed to Larry, "Daddy!"