bouncing baby boy

Strangers are always telling me that the Bumble is such a handsome little man. I don't know why they always assume she is a boy when she is all decked out in pink flowers all the time, but they do. Constantly. So, I just let it slide. I say "Thanks!" and move on. Why correct them? It only makes them feel bad, right? So I've gotten into that habit.

On Thanksgiving, we went to Cincinnati's Krohn Conservatory, a beautiful indoor garden with a rainforest and a desert and an orchid house and a Christmas room. It was so, so lovely, especially since it was such a brutally cold and windy day. I was holding the Bumble and she was wearing a pink and brown ruffly shirt, leggings with flowers on them and her Robeez shoes with big black flowers. A woman approached us and said, "What a handsome little man!"

I smiled and said, "Thanks!" and intended to move on. But the woman kept talking.

"He's flirting with me! What a smile!"

Okay... well, if I correct her now, that's just embarrassing. What am I saying, exactly? She's a GIRL! She isn't flirting with you! Well, maybe she is flirting. I dunno. I don't know my baby's mind.

The woman continued. "Oh... he's gonna be such a ladykiller! He's gonna be a LINEBACKER! Look at how big he is!"

I just kept smiling. If I correct her NOW, I just look silly for not correcting her earlier. Besides, maybe it is the Bumble's dream to be a linebacker.

But now the lady was edging closer and closer. And I was backing up step by step. Because I didn't want the lady to suddenly notice that Bumble was bedecked in flowers. I didn't want her to suddenly realize that I was lying by omission. Why was I pretending to have a boy baby?!

The lady kept coming closer and closer. He's gonna be a linebacker for the Bengals, aren't ya, Buddy?" I kept edging away.

Closer. What a flirt!

Closer. Look at his eyes!

Closer. And then her eyes landed on Bumble's shoes. With the big floppy black flowers on the toes. Her eyes popped up to mine and there was a hint of confusion. I quickly excused myself and ran away. I need to start putting more bows on Bumble's head.