Golden Ticket to Pad Buying

Took the kids to walmart the other day. That's what you do in a small town; go to walmart. If we lived in a semi bigger town, we'd stroll target, but B'ville hasn't come into the 21st century.

I digress.

I needed some face soap, so we walk over to the cosmetic section. Cooper is in the cart diligently working to buckle himself and Chloe is meandering her way behind me, saying hi to literally every single person we pass and if they stop, she begins telling her life story and showing her bug bites.

A cute couple with a car seat in their cart walked by, heading towards the checkout stand. He was pushing and she had her arm hooked through his, they weren't moving very fast.

The curious person in me looked at the contents of their shopping cart. It contained one item and one item only.

There's only one reason a cute petite girl like herself would have a huge bag of these in her cart.

(glancing in car seat)

Brand new baby!

Inside I giggle.

I can remember a time when having to go to the store to buy feminine products was like having a near death experience. I'd buy the tampons and attempt to mask the box with a box of muffins, or brownies or something from the food section. Or I'd buy a magazine, lay the box on it's front and put the magazine over the top of the box. Walking through the store, I'd carry them under my armpit, where it probably looked as if I was gonna smuggle the things out. And if it weren't illegal to steal tampons, I probably would have.

Then I got older, college age, and it's still an awkward moment at the store, but not as bad as high school.

In college, little did I know there's a rite-of-passage that happens for most women. It's this feat that gives a woman full range of conversation with other women; no holds barred. It's the 'walking on smoldering ashes' moment, the killing a bear with your bare hands....

... having a baby.

Once the baby is born all topics are fair game. Women talk about bowel movements of themselves and that of their new child. Boobs, cracked and non cracked. Stitches, tearing, cutting, pain meds, no pain meds etc.

It's then that going to the store to buy pads, and the biggest most absorbent pads you can find, isn't a big deal! I mean, you've conquered the world! You've got your golden ticket. The world will see those pads on the conveyor belt and a little piece of them will say, "Oooohhh," while nodding their head in understanding.

There's one thing you have to keep in mind.

Remember to bring your golden ticket.

The baby.

Otherwise you're just some girl buying really bulky pads.