It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World--The Pumpkin Festival Edition

Last Saturday we packed Jack up and headed out to the Morton Pumpkin Festival. The weather was just right; and since Jamie and I had gone last year and enjoyed some of the little activities, we thought we'd wheel Jack around the event for a little family time.

Why did we think this was fun last year? We were jostled from tent to tent and seemed to always be heading down the wrong way, against the surging crowd of festival-goers. We quickly decided to get the heck out and headed for higher ground. The fam was much happier eating at Steak 'n Shake than standing in a quarter-mile line for some pork chop sandwiches and pumpkin chili.

Yikes. The world is a much scarier place when you have a little one. Every bump to the stroller in Target seems like a personal affront. As if Peoria's drivers weren't already inane--they've now become insane ever since we've had Jack as our backseat driver. Each face in a crowd is a potential kidnapper.

Makes having a social anxiety problem seem a little less like a problem--it's seems like natural protection against the world out there. Still, while my issue is genetic, I don't want Jack's to become learned. We trudge solidly ahead, visiting the mall for some walking, Jack strapped firmly in his stroller and Xanax stashed in my purse.