Drama at the Aquarium

Last week was our final summer play date with my friend Mindy. She returns to school this week and will be busy during the week once again. Mindy is expecting baby #2 and has been a trooper this summer meeting us at the water park almost every week. We decided we were just about watered out (Mindy was done with the wave pool nausea). So we went to the aquarium instead. Tobey and I stopped by and picked up my friend Suzanne and her baby girl Kai and then we met Mindy and Emma at the aquarium downtown. We parked the car and then walked over to pay for parking. I kept an eye on Kairi who was in her stroller and Tobey (who was not) while Suzanne stood in line to pay for our parking. Well I did something totally out of character and quite humiliating. There were several kids standing around the stroller admiring Kai while I was trying to prevent Tobey from running into the street. Suzanne got close to paying and realized it was $5 for parking and she only had $2 in her hand. I grabbed the $1 I had from my wallet and she said she had more in her purse under the stroller. Well I turned to get to the stroller and there were like 6 or 7 kids surrounding baby Kai. I was a little frantic because 1)It's not my baby but these kids were a little too close for comfort and 2)Suzanne is next in line to pay and there are several people waiting to pay behind her so I needed access to the stroller. So I loudly said "Back off". I may have thrown a please in there but I am not sure. The kids moved and I made my way to the back of the stroller. While I was getting the money I heard a woman say "It's okay honey, some people are just like that". She was talking about me to her son who I had obviously offended. I felt horrible. Did I really say "Back Off"? Couldn't I have come up with something better than that? I apologized to the woman and explained that I had meant no harm but had just needed to get to the stroller. It was very awkward. Anyone who knows me would know that I am genuinely a nice person and don't usually go around telling other people to "Back Off" even if they are so close to my friend's baby that she could have reached out and touched them and vice versa. A few minutes later Suzanne came over and asked what that was all about and I told her what I said. She couldn't believe it but said I was probably just feeling her nervous energy. She said that she has thought about hanging a sign around Kai's stroller that says "Please wash your hands before touching" because strangers are always coming up to Kai. Anyway we finally made it into the aquarium and I managed to run into the offended family at least three times. I smiled pitifully each time. Despite the drama outside we still had a good time. The otters were in a very playful mood. They were swimming in circles in their tank and coming right up to the glass. That was Tobey's favorite part.

I think this picture of Emma and Tobey with their legs propped on the ledge is awesome!

Tobey watching over Kairi!

Wouldn't you feel the need to protect this sweet face?

"I'm done. Can we go eat now?"