Barefoot Ben with Cheeks of Pink

Shopping with Ben is fun. At 11 months old, he's a very amusing fellow, but not usually when he's in a big place with lots of distractions. He's too busy looking around. So I'm the entertainer. This is my time to shine. Last time, though, he showed me up, the little squirt.

Mamma: Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way... Ben, do you like the Jingle Bells song? Remember how Mamma sang it while she was in the shower this morning? My, what a beautiful can of green beans. Look, Ben. The label is green with a white background. Don't they look yummy? You love green beans, especially the French cut ones.

Mamma: Deck the halls with boughs of holly, falalalalalalalala. These are bananas. We don't eat the peels, which is the outside. Instead, we eat the insides. They are creamy white and very tasty, especially with cereal. How would you like it if I ZOOOOOOOOMed around the corner like this? * took the corner at high speed so he falls over a little * Haha. Made you giggle. Now people are going to think you have a personality. You can't just rely on your funky hair. You need to have facial expressions. (My son has a tendency to keep a straight face when his father and I are trying to make him laugh. Tough crowd).

Ben reaches down to play with his feet. As I'm walking down the aisle, shopping and talking to him, he has taken off his left shoe. I spy him chewing on it, so I take it and put it in my pocket because I don't want him to drop it when I'm not looking. He gets the right shoe off and that one goes in my pocket too.

So it's winter in Wisconsin, and Ben's bundled in a winter coat, but with only socks on his feet.

While we're in the frozen food section, I notice Ben pulling at his feet again. He's trying to tug his socks off. He's not successful at first. As we're going down the pasta aisle, he succeeds and says "Hey!" loudly. People turn and laugh at him as he holds up his sock in triumph.

I'm amused, of course, but then both of his socks go into my pocket. Now I'm walking around the store, with a boy in a cart. A winter coat and bare feet. I tell Ben that people are probably hoping I buy him some socks and shoes because it's so cold outside.

Mamma: They probably think we're destitute, you know. You look silly with a winter coat and no shoes or socks. Someone is going to come and call Social Services because you don't have your socks on. Do you want people to think I'm a bad mommy? Ha. No Christmas carols for you. You'll just have to listen to the muzak. I refuse to sing along in funny voices.

Ben, of course, didn't care. He was just waving his bare footsies around in the air, enjoying the freedom.