The Inevitable Question Has Been Asked

On our recent excursion westward, I had the unfortunate experience of being asked the inevitable question.  To my chagrin, it happened a decade or two sooner than I had expected.  Drum roll please.  "Is that your grand-daughter?"  What?!  Are you kidding me?!

At the ripe young age of 42, I had anticipated being mistaken for Cupcake's Grandma in the distant future.  Possibly at her college orientation, ya know, in my 50's!  But absolutely no sooner than that!  So you can imagine that I was quite taken off guard when the inevitable question arrived more than a decade early.

We were headed west on the PA Turnpike and had stopped to take care of a much needed diaper change (for Baby!)  I finished changing her diaper, passed her off to her older sister and continued packing up the diaper bag.  As I headed out of the rest room I could hear a lady remarking at how cute Cupcake was as she strolled hand in hand with her sister.  The lady then noticed me exiting the restroom, proudly encumbered with the diaper bag, and quipped, "Is that your grand-daughter?  She's adorable!  She looks just like Shirley Temple!"  Trying to keep my composure, I smiled, kept walking and promptly told my kids what had just happened.

Needless to say, they all found this quite humorous.  I was more in a state of mingled shock and laughter.  After a few minutes, however, the realization of the comment had dawned on my eldest daughter and she was insulted that it had been assumed that she was the mother!  It was my turn to have a good laugh at her reaction!  At 15 it's in the realm of possibility and perhaps, may be a more common occurrence in the particular area we were traveling.  With this thought I realized that I
could well have just been paid a compliment.  If turnpike lady had assumed that Darlin' was a teen mom and I had been a teen mom, than she undoubtedly pegged me for in my 30's!

30's?!  Yup, that must be it!