The air is crisp as the autumn sun shines through a mixture of the browns, oranges, and yellows that paint a sea of trees.

It’s a beautiful fall morning. And what a better way to soak it all in (and finally get baby in those ADORABLE new boots) then to head out to enjoy an annual fall festival.

The new momma checklist is a hefty one. Extra clothes, a jacket, socks, diapers, toys, bink…Tylenol, blankets..essentially the nursery. However; as a new mom of nearly 5 months I experienced a false sense of confidence.

Instead of carefully and masterfully creating a handwritten checklist, I instead decided to rely on my mental checklist. Considering whatever wasn’t in baby’s bulging diaper bag would surely be in my ‘back up‘ car organizer.

What my new-mom brain failed to take into account was at the last minute the decision was made to take my mom’s car instead. We peacefully packed up her truck and securely buckled baby in.

We listened to music, chatted and smiled as we enjoyed the site of the winding back roads and fall colors that surrounded us.

The day seemed to only get better as we were parked fairly close to the festival and the air filled with the smell of roasted almonds and baked apple pie.

Then the realization came blasting into our reality. Just as we were packing up the last of baby’s suitcase into the baby stroller…the missing item took hold of this new momma with stone hands.

WIPES!….I FORGOT THE WIPES...

A flood of thoughts came rushing through my mind like the thundering tide that follows an angry hurricane.

I’m a terrible mom! How could I forget something so important?!!!!!!!!!

WHAT IF SHE POOPS?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I walked back and forth between the baby stroller…the truck…baby stroller…truck…under the seat…in the stroller basket…under the seat again…under the truck!!! How could this be happening?

Now when I looked at the beautiful fall colors painting those magnificent trees…I saw only failed possibilities of baby wipe substitutes.

Leaves…no…too rough and buggy.

Grass…too thin

…the extra clothes… No, I can’t dispose of those and I really like that onesie.

Then those with more momma experience than I came to my desperate rescue. My mom (aka, nanna) and the aunts suggested…napkins. Of course…napkins would solve the problem.

If she poops…I’ll just wet them and all will again be right with the world.

Crisis averted… 

<3

Michaela