Some Things You Never Live Down

A few months ago, our family was out running errands. We like to keep everyone in the car and let one parent run into each store. It saves on the in-and-out-and-in-and-out time with children, strollers, etc.

On our last errand of the day, my husband was inside a shop when the troops started getting restless. Something along the lines of, "Mom, he hit me!" ("Did not!") "Did too!"

I immediately started a game of "I Spy," leading into a game of "Find the Alphabet" - the game where you look for letters to complete the alphabet. "I see an 'A' in 'Sam's Club'" and etc.

Almost immediately, my husband came out of the store and we were on our way. We hadn't gotten more than a few letters into the alphabet game.

But being that I am fond of that game, I continued playing (silently) as we drove through the parking lot, garnering letter after letter in an attempt to finish before we got on the freeway.

I didn't finish the alphabet, but I got pretty far. And I immediately announced triumphantly to the family,

"Hey, everyone! I got to "P" in the parking lot!"

I beamed at them, knowing they would all be suitably impressed with my letter-finding savvy.

Instead, there was a dead silence. Then I noticed that my husband was giving me a bemused, "Dear, WHAT did you just say?" look. And the 9yo added, "Um, Mommy?"

And then I realized just what I had said.

I have yet to live it down.

And whenever I come upon the 9yo standing in a corner, giggling wildly, I know (*sigh*) exactly what he is giggling about.

Somethings stick with you for the rest of your life.

I've just added one to my list.