Stranded

After I dropped Goomba off at Daycare this morning, I was driving down I5 when traffic suddenly came to a stop. I could see in the distance that there was a mini van on the shoulder of the Interstate and what appeared to be a family standing off in the grass as far from the freeway traffic as possible. As I got closer, I realized that it was a mother and her 3 small children. I immediately felt anxious for the mother and thought about how helpless and vulnerable she must feel standing on the side of a major highway with her babies. Although a CHP Officer was already there, I couldn't help but pull over and offer assistance. I offered to give them a ride since I had a car seat ready to go in my backseat and although she declined and said that someone was on the way to pick them up, I couldn't help but continue to offer assistance. I offered up my stroller, diapers, wipes, bottles of water and even my daughter's half eaten snack cup full of cereal and dried bananas. She thanked me but refused them all and at that point I drove away. As I drove away, I thought about what I would do if I was in her situation. Would I load my daughter and I into the backseat of a strangers car to get off the side of the freeway?  Would I stand there and wait for the approximately 45 minutes it might take for my husband to leave work and pick me up? Would I call a friend? Co-worker? Neighbor? Our parents are at least an hour away in either direction so that didn't seem like the most time effective call to make but what if no one else was available? How long was I willing to stand on the side of the freeway with my baby?

I realized that I didn't really have a plan. Just like I don't have a plan if some type of disaster occurs and we were stranded without resources. Just like I don't have a plan if someone breaks into our house in the middle of the night. Just like I don't have a plan if zombies hijack all of the roads between my house and daycare and I can't get to my daughter!  I am a natural planner, I plan EVERYTHING! Why do I not have a plan for these kinds of things!?! Don't get me wrong, I will kick some zombie/burglar ass if it means they are putting Goomba in harms way but what about an actual plan? I understand that I am a planner and not a Psychic and I understand that shit happens and that you can't plan for every little thing just in case it happens but at what point do you at least have SOMETHING planned? I hear about these people that hoard food and water 'just in case' but is that reasonable to do? Do you have to monitor the expiration dates on that shit? That sounds like a lot of work...or a half ass plan.

On a lighter note, Goomba's vocabulary has EXPLODED over the last several weeks. She is starting to piece words together at her attempts of a 'conversation' and I love it! She is also starting to repeat words here and there and I'm pretty sure we'll be hearing some type of cuss word fall from her precious lips soon.  Goomba has also turned into a tattle-tale. A few weeks ago, Brett was attempting to brush her teeth as she flailed around trying to get away and he accidentally poked her in the eye with the toothbrush. Now, before you call CPS, we aren't talking about an eyeball shish-kabob here, we are talking about a minor brush of the eye with the side of a soft bristled toothbrush that didn't do any damage at all. However, ever since this apparently life-altering, traumatic event, Goomba has not hesitated to tell everyone she meets that her Daddy stabbed her in the eye. Let me explain.

Person talking to Goomba: "I like your pretty hair bow Goomba. Is that a purple bow?"
Goomba: While poking herself in her right eye,  "Daddy. Ohhhwww."
Person talking to Goomba: "What's that Goomba? What did Daddy do?"
Goomba: While poking herself in her right eye (again),  "Daddy. Ohhhwww."
Me: "Brett accidentally poked her in the eye with her toothbrush"
Goomba: While nodding her head in agreement and continuing to poke herself in her eye "uh huh, uh huh, Daddy, ohhhwww."