Starbucks Anyone?

Callie Jo Epp.  Where do I start?  She was one special little girl from the day she was born.  Our first-born child, and one of the first granddaughters, she was pretty much spoiled from the get-go.  I styled her in Gap and Old Navy–pretty pink dresses and fashionable matching shoes.  How could I help it?  Anyone who goes shopping for a baby girl can attest; they have the absolute cutest clothes available and it’s downright addicting. 

Another habit we started very early was taking my little girl to Starbucks.  You know you’re in trouble when your baby girl can only say a few words, including “Mommy” and “Daddy” and then “Starbucks!” as we drive by the familiar green sign. We were doomed!

Callie always knows exactly what she wants to order when we head to my all-time favorite coffee shop.  Kids’ hot chocolate, a vanilla milk box or chocolate milk box, and usually a vanilla bean scone.  Yes, my four-year-old happily walks up to the cashier and politely orders whatever her little heart may fancy that day.

Just the other day we were in a huge hurry.  I had to be to work in 35 minutes and had about a 25-minute commute, which included dropping my kids off at daycare.  I’d run out of creamer that morning, and let’s face it, folks, no coffee means zero brain power for this career woman.  So, off to Starbucks we went with an excited toddler pondering what she’d order.  When we got to the drive-thru, I sighed.  Three cars in line equaled me being very late to work, and oh, how I hated to be late! Callie couldn’t have said it better.  “Mommy, if these people don’t hurry, we are never going to be able to get our coffee, right?”

Thinking about how late I might be, I said in a monotone, “Yes, honey.”  
“Mommy, maybe you should just crash them out of the way!” 
I looked back and saw that Callie had a serious look on her face.  She meant it!
“Honey, we can’t crash into them. That’s not reasonable!  If we’re just patient, they’ll move soon.”  The funny thing was; I was also thinking how nice it would be to ram my car into the back of the person in front of me who evidently hadn’t decided what they’d order ahead of time, taking an extremely long amount of time in deciding.  Finally, the car moved and it was our turn to order.  Before I could tell the nice woman at the other end of the microphone what I wanted to order, Callie piped up as loud as she could, “Come on, people, move it!”

Our children listen to everything we say!  So I guarantee when you’re cussing someone out under your breath, or telling the people off in the drive-thru line at Starbucks, your children do hear you, and they’ll repeat it.  You can count on it!