16-month-olds can't promise

Yesterday I decided to treat myself to a workout at the gym.  There's a little coffee shop inside the gym, and it seems like we can't ever get past it without buying something.  Yesterday it was a bagel with cream cheese, dipped in tomato soup.  One of Clara's favorite lunches, bought on our way out.

Her mouth was covered in tomato soup afterwards.  I was distracted and didn't notice how messy it was until we were headed out the door, laden with diaper bag, gym bag, purse.  I had her on my hip, and she was holding Ugly Baby by the head, as is her custom.  I licked my thumb and tried to finagle it up to her mouth, but she turned away to look at a city bus that had just pulled up to the curb.

"Ruck," she said, pointing to it.

"That's a bus," I said.  There was no one around, so I quickly turned my head and licked the side of her mouth.  She thought this was hilarious, and put her mouth close to mine, giggling.  She wanted me to lick her again.

"Sorry, that was a one-time thing," I said, wiping her mouth with my sleeve.

"Mowf," she said, pointing to my mouth.  Sometimes she digs through my hair to find my ears.  She calls them, "Ewas," or "Ehs."

"Ai," she poked at first one eye, then the other with her her baby index finger.

"Honey, I can't see.  Hey, I have an idea.  Do you want to walk?"

She nodded her head excitedly.  "Has!  Has!"("Yes, Yes")

"Okay, will you hold my hand like a big girl?"

"Hesh." ("Yes")

"Do you promise?"

"Hesh!"

I gingerly put her down, but as soon as her baby, change-color-in-the-sunlight, lime green Crocs touched the payment, she tried to take off.  I held firmly to her wrist.

"You HAVE to hold Mommy's hand in parking lots and on sidewalks."

"Nai no!" She sank to the payment, and sprawled her legs out in front of her.  We were on a busy section of sidewalk.  People streamed past.  Clara tossed Ugly Baby away from her to illustrate her frustration.

I picked her up and tucked Ugly Baby under my arm, hitting the sensor that makes her chuckle.  I kissed Cara's firm baby cheeks.  She put her mouth close to mine.

"Tiss," she said, and kissed me on the mouth.  "Tiss, tiss," she said and kissed me again, completely blocking my vision.  The wind came up and blew my hair around my and Clara's faces as I staggered to the car.