The forgotten baby

Well, it finally happened--my sleep deprived brain made forget the baby. Kate, Ringo, and I walked down to the post office today. I tied Ringo outside and Kate and I went in (her in the stroller) to find a box for mailing the stuff I had to send to a friend in NYC. Since the place was packed, I parked the stroller at the edge of the mob and went the final 15-20 feet to the spot where the Priority Mail packaging was. From there I went outside and sat with the dog while I addressed the box and got it ready to go. I decided to call Tessa before going back in to stand in line. That's when she asked "How's Kate?" and I realized I'd left her inside!! I ran back in, and of course she was crying. I didn't dare look anyone in the eye to see what kind of "unfit parent" stares I was getting. All was safe, though, and she settled down quite quickly once I got her back outside. But, man, what a panicked feeling!! Of course, while Kate and I stood in line waiting to mail the package and Ringo was tied up alone outside, I was thinking "unfit pet owner". To top it off, after waiting 20 minutes in the self-serve postage line, the person ahead of me used up the last of whatever it is that allows the machine to work--stamps, labels--because it said I couldn't print postage, but I could weigh my package. At that point I gave up, handed $10 to the person behind me in line, and asked if she'd mail my stuff when she got to the front of the line with hers. And keep the change please. It was only afterwards that it dawned on me that she had no idea what I was mailing--coulda been meth, guns, terrorist plots--and I hoped that the postal employee didn't wind up questioning her about the contents. I guess we'll know if the friend in NYC ever gets the package!