My first “embarrassed mommy” moment

Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Being a few weeks away from turning one year old, my daughter is learning the fine art of waving. She still needs a little work. Though she’s advanced from lifting both hands into the air like she’s calling a touchdown, she doesn’t actually wave or move anything; she merely lifts in her hand straight up in a ‘heil Hitler” sort of salute.

She waves at everyone. If I need to go out into the garage to take out the trash, she’ll stand at her baby gate and wave me goodbye.

So, my aunt’s mother died this week.

I never met the woman, but being that she was the mother to my mother’s sister-in-law and the grandmother to two of my cousins, I attended her visitation last night with my mom, sister, brother-in-law, and daughter. Another aunt showed up shortly after us and came to stand in the line directly behind us.

After trying and trying to get Lydia to wave at my aunt, everyone gave up on her for the evening when she simply would not wave at anyone. Then we reached the casket. Lydia leaned past my sister’s shoulder—since my sister was holding her—to get a look inside and, yes, she saluted the dearly departed. Repeatedly.

Hopefully anyone that saw her merely thought, “why is that kid lifting her hand; does she have a question,” and they had no idea she was waving at a dead person. You can’t very well say, “honey, don’t bother. She’s not going to wave back.” And you can’t laugh. You just gotta stand there, all red in the face, and hope the people in front of you will stop hugging already so you can move on through the line, past the humiliation.

And that is my first “embarrassed mom” moment. Definitely one to keep for the records, I say.

16 comments:

  1. I know it's not funny, but I had to laugh. She'll only wave to the people wants - dead or alive.
    Sorry about the loss.

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  2. She is definitely selective about who she choses to receive one of her waves, yeah, dead or alive!

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  3. Oh no!!! LOL Don't worry; this is only the beginning. :-)

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  4. Love it! Wait until she can talk! My mother still gets embarrassed when she remembers the time I called a nun a penguin. Repeatedly and loudly apparently. I think Mom left the store she was so embarrassed!

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  5. I'm sure I would have at least snickered or smothered a giggle. Good for you for holding it together. I'll just say that this won't be your last 'moment'.

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  6. As active and talkative as she is now, I can only imagine how many more 'moments' there will be. I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to them or bracing for the embarrassing fallout.

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  7. How cute she sounds (and looks), Linda! A little lady who knows her own mind already.

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  8. Hi Linda, how sweet. Thanks for sharing the story and my condolences on your family's loss. Hugs!

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  9. How funny! (I can say that because it didn't happen to me) :)
    Wow, that year went by fast, didn't it?

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  10. Sounds like she was kind of giving her a "send-off." Ahhhh. :O)

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  11. I don't think that it was embarrassing. I think that it was enchanting! She must have been so cute. She probably put a smile on some people's faces in such a somber moment.

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  12. I thought that was a tender sweet thing. Not embarrassing! If anything, kind of appropriate, in the simple childlike way it was.

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  13. Aw, that's kind of magical and sweet, really. But I can understand how you might worry that someone would think it inappropriate. Hopefully, they all just saw a wonderful baby moment.

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  14. Linda, I have to say that's super cute, all political correctness aside. At least your first embarrassed mommy moment didn't include a four-letter word. I swear, I didn't teach my son that. Really. :innocent whistle:

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  15. With her potty-mouth daddy, I'm sure the 4-letter words will come way before I'm ready. Yikes.

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  16. LOVE it:) And yes, there will be more 'Lydia Moments':) I hope you keep sharing them!

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