Pretty Purse

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I have a pretty purse.

My mom bought me the pretty purse.

And before the pretty purse I had a cute purse.

Before the cute purse I had a fashionable over-sized boho bag,

and before the boho bag I had a fabulous satchel.

I have traded the lovely handbags and bolsitas for a very

utilitarian

backpack.

It started as a reasonable way to carry a small child + a carseat + carry-on luggage + a sippy cup onto a very long international flight.

And then the practicality and functional nature of that ugly backpack got the best of this here mommy.

Because it's not a fashionable backpack.

It's not even a Jansport (are those still cool, kids?  This mommy don't know...)

It's totally a multi-zippered, ergonomically-fit, dry-weave, red and black, all-terrain, survivalist camping backpack.

It's the pack we picked up on a trip to Yosemite,

That place where such a backpack serves a distinct purpose and anyone: man, woman or child would not be judged.

But carrying a backpack to, like, Victoria Gardens... like, I think you'll get judged.

Because I could swear that today,

just a little,

I got judged.

And it just felt so nice to have my hands free while my pretty purse vacationed elsewhere as I dined and shopped with friends and chased after a very antsy little girl.

The pack carried my wallet,

and a million baby essentials.

The kind of essentials that just won't fit in the pretty purse (baby swimsuit, 3 brands of sunscreen, a towel, swim diapers, regular diapers, wipes, rash cream, snacks, snacks, a sippy cup, snacks, a toy, baby flip-flops, baby sneakers, a clean change of clothes, toys and Lord knows what else...)...




And at a place like VG the fashionable moms have the fashionable diaper bags to match the Chanel sunglasses and the Eddie Bauer limited edition baby buggy to match their iPhone cases that sparkle which you just know they paid full retail for.

But this girl.  Thisonerighthereinfrontofthepooter has the very

utilitarian

backpack.

I'm taking hands-free to a whole new level.

And maybe,

just maybe,

I'm getting judged for it.

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