When you're a stranger

My child is a lady killer.

Yesterday, he managed to charm a woman in the parking lot. Who was still in her car. Through both our window AND hers. While belted into his car seat so he could only look at her obliquely. And even with all that, I think she would have taken him home with her in a minute if I'd let her.

This is not new, of course. Baby J has always attracted the older grandma set, particularly in the mall. He responds best to women with glasses, but he is also intrigued by headbands or scarves (this works for me as well; if I have my hair up in any way, he is absolutely fascinated with me for hours at a time). But he's no respecter of persons: if you smile at him and you're a woman, he's yours. He is less interested in men but is currently the only baby not afraid of our friend Spencer, so I think he's pretty ecumenical when it comes to his affections.

As he's gotten older, his attractiveness to the older women has increased, but now we've also added little girls to the list of those who can't get enough Baby J. One practically had a seizure in another parking lot yesterday as she excitedly pointed him out to her long-suffering mother. And nurses. Baby J loves nurses, and they love him. The husband is going in for some routine surgery today, and, at one point, his nurse spirited J away to do show him off to the "girls." Apparently, he performed well, even laughing for them, and she brought him back...eventually. The husband was about to call a "code pink" for a missing baby since she was taking so long, but I knew it was only Baby J's wiles that had captivated everyone is blue scrubs.

Surely, it's an advantage to be raising a charmer. People will forgive him a multitude of sins because he's just so gosh darn adorable! Then, of course, so will I!