Another Mom Noticed, Would You?

Guess what! You can get a free chicken sandwich from Chic-Fil-A if you download their app and join as a new member between June 1-11th, 2016. I just found out this afternoon. I'm not sure if you have to purchase the sandwich by the 11th or if you can get it later, but I used it this evening since my husband had a late work evening.

Why are you writing about Chic-Fil-A, you ask? Well, you see, I had a MOMent. Diaper Bag over my shoulder while holding my daughter in one arm and carrying a high chair with the other complete with an ever-growing baby bump had me looking like a sight, a sight that another mom noticed. I made my way to a table, strapped my daughter into the high chair, and sat down. An employee brought my food and placed it at my table. Opening our food and delving in, I suddenly realized I didn't have a straw.

Not a huge deal. I could have taken the lid off to sip from the cup, but I had wanted to share with my daughter, and all I could imagine was lemonade spilling all over her clothes. Getting up to grab one would mean ripping a toddler away from food and leaving food unattended (which my mama taught me never to do).

My pondering of what I should do didn't last long. The mom who observed me walk to a table with my hands full also noticed my strawless situation, and she came to my rescue by getting one for me! She deserves the great mom award of the evening, because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have noticed a young mom missing something seemingly unimportant.

As a young mom, do you feel self-conscious when other moms stare at you, especially if they seem more experienced because they have multiple children or older children? Me too! But, I'm learning that these moms aren't trying to be nosy or judgemental (though some may be). Many of these moms are reminiscing on the days when their child was a baby.

This evening, I stumbled across a few videos my mom had taken after I gave birth to my daughter. In one video, mom recorded my daughter as she cried. My heart melted and the tears flowed as I remembered those long and draining but beautiful days in the hospital with new life.

In the future, I may be the older mom who watches a mom with a toddler struggle to her table, and I hope that in the reminiscing I'll take the time to see if there's anything that young mom might need. A simple act of kindness goes a long way.