greetings

my shy, mommy-centric girl is becoming suddenly friendly. I don't know why it happened, but one day this past week we went to Target, just Violet and I, and she was saying hello to everyone.

Pushing her to the pharmacy in the cart, she shouts out "hi! hi! hi!" to the employee there. He doesn't hear (or chooses not to respond), so Violet says to me, "What that name?". I say, "um, pharmacist".

"HI, PHARMACIST! HI PHARMACIST!"

(only it come out more like "ha far-see!" over and over).

No reply.

Finally, I say, "Um, I'm sorry, but could you just say hello to her, because she's really wanting you to talk to her...".

I can't even imagine what kind of a helicopter mother they must have thought I was.

Unfortunately, usually after that, the employee goes on and on, "How are you? Are you having a good day? I like your hat!"; throughout all of which Violet has a blank stare at them.

Anyhow outside she'll yell to. People on my street who would never even make eye contact with me before are now forced to respond.

"HI! HI! HI! HI! HI MAN! HI MAN!"

You can ignore the haggard mother toting her two toddlers to her car, but you cannot escape the sweet call of my girl jumping on the sidewalk in front of you.