Skirt in the dirt

Gemma likes dirt. She spends lots of time lately when we are at the poking around and sifting it through her fingers and drawing in it with sticks, etc. I don't mind this; kids are supposed to get to get dirty and seem to stand up to frequent washings quite well. Well, this grandma at the park was not having it. She was with her two grandkids and she didn't want them in the dirt with Gemma. She didn't think Gemma should be in there, either, and kept trying to lead her out. At first Gemma was just annoyed; she came up and told me "No take away me!!" But then the lady actually LIFTED her out of the dirt and Gemma lost it, totally bawling her eyes out. All she wanted to do was play! So I got her cars out and gave them to her and she wheeled them around in the dirt and the grandma left her alone after that. Then when she was loading her kids up in the stroller I grabbed the wetwipes I keep with me and washed her kids hands, before the toxic biohazardous poisons could leach into their skin and cause irreversible damage and to show her I wasn't a complete idiot as a mother and she thanked me profusely and left.

Ali came with us, and I tried to assure her that our trips to the park aren't usually so dramatic. Hopefully she will come again!