My red-headed temper flares up!

We have a running joke in our house that Mike and I both have red hair. My hair is normally strawberry-blonde in the fall (depending on how much beach time I get in the summer), and Mike's is auburn. I love red hair, I think it's gorgeous, so it's just become a joke around here.

What I do have from time-to-time that is truly red-headed is a temper. Not when I don't get my way, but when I think someone is being unfair, it totally comes out. So now that you have the background, here's the story.

We have season tickets to NC State football. This year, football season was...challenging to say the least. We have great babysitters, but it is really, really hard to get babysitters for football games.

This past weekend our babysitters were all at home for Thanksgiving, and I really, really wanted to go to the game. So I did the unthinkable - I brought the baby. I thought I did everything right. We skipped tailgating so she could get her first nap. I brought baby food. I brought formula and water. I had the pack 'n play in the back of my Jeep - along with the stroller - in case the second half was unbearable. (Our friends keep a TV in the parking lot, so I knew I could tune in from there.)

We got into the stands in time for kickoff. She was hungry, so we had some banana applesauce. Then we had more. Then I tried to give her a bottle (which she wouldn't drink because there was so much going on). At this point, we're a few minutes into the second quarter, and she is ready for her nap. So, in an effort to be nice to our neighbors and to let my husband enjoy the game (after all, it is his alma mater), I grabbed the baby and high-tailed it to the nearest exit.

I had a great plan. By getting to the parking lot this early, I could put her down for a cat nap, and be back in the stadium in time for a good portion of the second half.

I got to the gate, and they told me I couldn't get a re-entry ticket if I left then. Whaaat? Apparently they won't give you a re-entry ticket until there are 5 minutes left in the second quarter. No one could tell me why.

I stood at the gate for about 10 minutes with her squirming like a snake in my arms. Finally I went to a sheriff's deputy who was standing there and told him I needed to leave to feed the baby and put her down for a short nap.  He walked over to the stadium's security guy and asked for a re-entry ticket. The man crossed his arms, cocked his head back, and said, "No."

Y'all, I kid you not. He said "no" to a sheriff! I was so mad. The deputy walked back over to me and told me to find him when I got back, and he'd let me in.

So I went to the car, fuming the whole way. We got there, and I decided to put Bellie in her stroller and go visit some friends who were missing the game because their baby was asleep in their car at the tailgate.

At halftime, we strolled back over to the stadium where we met Mike, and I re-hashed what had happened. He thought it sounded strange, so he suggested we talk to the sheriff. Here's how that conversation went down:

Sherriff: Oh, I had no problem with her leaving. I don't know why he wouldn't give me a ticket. Let's talk to him.
Mike: Sir, is there any reason you wouldn't give my wife a re-entry ticket? If there sheriff wasn't here, she wouldn't be able to get back in.

Stadium staffer: Sir, she didn't tell me why she needed it.

Me (temper a'flare): You didn't ask why I needed it. I told the sheriff what was going on, and he asked you for the ticket.

Ma'am, if you had just explained why you needed it, I'd have given you one...if I deemed it appropriate.

You never indicated you wanted a reason, you just said "No."

Ma'am, you should have told me why you needed to leave.

If the sheriff told you to "duck," would you say "No"? And later tell him it was because he didn't "give you a reason"?

Ma'am, if you need to change your child's diaper, there's a family restroom.

Her diaper is fine.

(He cuts me off.)

If you need to breastfeed, there's a family restroom.

Sir, where did you eat your lunch today?

I beg your pardon?

Where did you eat your lunch today?

I don't understand...

I'm guessing you didn't eat in the bathroom, sir. Please don't recommend that I feed my child in one. She needs a nap though, that's why I was trying to leave.

Okay, that might have been a little embellished, but at that point, Mike practically pushed me away, and said to the man, "If I could offer a little bit of constructive feedback..."

As much as I love football, I'm glad the season is over. That man left such a bad taste in my mouth!