Mother nature has been playing jokes on Virginia like all year. It is June 2nd and 55 degrees outside. It’s gloomy. It’s dark. It’s drizzly. It’s so not what I expect when I wake up and see on the calendar that it is in fact June 2nd and not October 31st. What alternative universe am I living in? I’m pretty sure I don’t live in Australia where it’s Fall and this weather is appreciated…there aren’t Koalas or Kangaroos in my backyard…HEAT NOW.

All of my park playdate dreams are getting washed away leaving me with one stir crazy toddler who is begging for kiddo interactions and to not play with my face anymore. So, I loaded the cranky clan up and headed to the germ center of the preschooler world…the mall play place.

Guess who had this idea too? ALL OF THE MOMS.

Luke’s at the age now where I don’t REALLY need to hover over him 100% of the time…he can fend for himself, he’s coordinated enough to not fall off of things ALL the time…I can trust him to kinda behave himself and not bolt for the $11 train ride every 5 minutes, but I still keep an eye to make sure he’s not being the Jerk of the day. Ya know, cuz I parent. Other people don’t put in this effort. Angry snarl.

CMON PARENTS. I know this is like “your time” to check the phone, answer the emails, read the Twitter feeds, like the Instagrams, text emoji wine glasses to your husband (maybe thats just me), but I need something more from you. When your child steals my sons precious…and I mean PRECIOUS AND MOST PRIZED car and runs away with it leaving him in a pile of anxiety and utter horror…LOOK UP AND HELP. When your little girl is awkwardly hovering over two small babies and then steal their soft blocks and try and run away with them…at least do us the favor of a shout or an acknowledgement that you are watching your klepto kindergartner…CMON. JUST CMON.

When my son has acquired your sons golf ball, even though I have no clue why you have let the child play with a really hard and choke-able toy in the play area with small kids….(face palm), and I take it back from him to give back to your child and make him say sorry…DONT GIVE ME TUDE…or else I’ll write an evil blog post about you in a passive aggressive way to exude my anger….oh that’s right…I WENT THERE.

Parenting a toddler is hard enough without my kid seeing mixed messages from other parents that other kids can get away with things that he is just not allowed to do. You’re killing me sometimes checked out parents….you’re just killing me.

Mother nature…you’re a real fickle witch too ya know.