Maybe Matilda: Bull in a China Shop

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Bull in a China Shop

I’m not sure that phrase has ever been more applicable to anything—ever—than it was to a recent poor decision made by me and my mom to bring Forrest with us to an antiques store. She and my dad are building a new house and she’s been on the hunt for neat antique items to use in her decorating, so we swung by this little antiques shop in my town . . . with two children in tow. Red flags flying, sirens roaring . . . do you hear it?

leggings + olive jacket + pop of red scarf

I’ll tell you what, picking your way through a cluttered antique shop while carrying a baby in a car seat (combined weight: 4,000 pounds) and trying to keep a curious preschooler from touching every single solitary item in the store? Total shopping bliss.

Mr. Well-Behaved was of course a model child as we looked around, patiently waiting with folded arms as we took our time perusing the shop. Passersby couldn’t keep from commenting on his perfect behavior and my obvious mastery of the art of parenting to have produced such a cherub. I just smiled and nodded serenely while my halo glowed above my head. Nothing I don’t already know.

little psycho

Oooorrrrrr, an alternate version of the shopping trip: maybe he made every attempt to sprint away from us at top speed (quite a feat in a packed and crowded shop with roughly 4 inches of walking space between each teetering tower of oddities, ready to crash down at the slightest hint of turbulence), touched and picked up and dropped just about every item within his reach, made me whisper-shout the phrase, “Do not touch anything!” something like, oh, infinity times, became fixedly attached to (of all things) a chipped, splintery plank of wood he found on the ground outside the building that I was forced to pry loose from his vice grip before I could pack him back into the car to go home.

I’ll just let you wonder which version is the more accurate retelling of our shopping events. Another shopper saw us making our way through the store and told me, “Boy, you are brave!” I think ‘brave’ is the nice way of saying ‘an idiot.’

But while we (shockingly!!!) weren’t able to head home with any fabulous antique finds, we definitely took advantage of their cool outdoor area to snap some pictures. Which were not at all awkward or embarrassing as other shoppers milled around and wondered what we were doing and two guys with a moving van gawked at us for several eternal-feeling minutes. 100% photography comfort.

olive jacket + neutrals + pop of red scarf

After my most recent wardrobe malfunction, someone suggested scarves to rescue me. And she was right—they’re such an easy way to look pulled together, or hide little outfit whoopsies (especially if you have little kids . . . boogers and drool everywhere), or add a little color and pattern to a neutral outfit, like mine today. I’m loving this scarf—not too loud or ‘in-your-face’, but it quietly adds a fun pop of red and some really neat pattern to the outfit.

Add a little pop of color and texture to a neutral outfit with a fun scarf!

Jacket: c/o ChicWish // Top: Target // Leggings: DownEast // Scarf: c/o ModCloth

I dig it. And next time I have baby spit-up or preschooler peanut butter handprint smears on my shirt, hey, I can toss a scarf on and no one’s the wiser. But if the spit-up or peanut butter lands on the scarf? Heaven help me.

21 comments :

  1. I had a pretty good giggle about the whole shopping experience, but at least you looked fantastic while "shopping." This is a great outfit and I LOVE your hair.

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  2. I recently did almost that exact same thing, minus carrying the baby around. My son wanted to touch, pick up, and THROW everything he could get his hands on. I'm quite sure the shop owner was delighted when we left...

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  3. Not much shopping to be done with 2 children, that's for sure. Thank you!

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  4. Haha! Now that you mention it, I think I could hear the sighs of relief as we pulled away ;-)

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  5. This post was too funny! I can especially relate to the heavy baby carrier. And when your scarf gets dirty just fold it so the stain is hidden :)

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  6. I had to laugh... been there SO many times with my little dude. Zero fun was had. But I do really dig the scarf. And envy your long hairs....

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  7. Scarves are amazing. They hide my own food and spit up. I can only imagine how great they'd be for small children. You're becoming quite the fashion blogger and I like it.

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  8. Scarves for the win! Thank you for not being intimidated by my intense glamorousness (<-- and new word coinage skills).

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  9. Not at all about this post, but I just had to mention your new header up top! Love it. Fantastic work! Did you design it? Is Rebekah involved? I think the prints on her etsy shop are adorbs.

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  10. 100% Bekah! My only contribution was choosing a color palette. When's your shop opening up?

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  11. That is a fantastic idea! I think you've given MacGyver a run for his money :)..

    socks for baby | baby socks for sale

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  12. Hopefully next month! I've actually scored a huge job doing promo materials for a builder in NM. It has been taking all my free time (OK, nap times). But hopefully it'll be done & paid in the next week and then I'm going to get some stuff made up for sale!

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  13. You look great! I love the scarf too :) I want to go to some antique shops myself but with a wild & crazy preschooler and VERY curious & sassy toddler I'm not brave enough just yet. I will wait for a day that a grandparent has the privilege of wrangling my children at home hahahaha.

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  14. Those are the very best days :-) And thanks--my sister did it for me. She's the best.

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  15. Good for you, that's fantastic! Can't wait to see the shop.

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  16. Pffffft, you're one to talk. (thank you xoxoxoxooxo!)

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  17. My toddler is at that age where it's exhausting to take him anywhere. If we can't take the double stroller, we don't go.

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  18. Seriously, with all the engineering that goes into those baby carriers, WHY couldnt they have thought to make them lighter? Or at least leas awkward to carry? Obviously men designed them. :p As for the scarf, I vote you keep it tucked away in your purse until boogers strike, and you can hide the with a flick of the clean scarf!

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  19. Right?! It seems like someone should have figured out a lightweight option by now.

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  20. I adore this outfit. I think I will be blatantly copying it sometime in the near future. =)

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