over-prepared

I have a tendency to overpack for things. Not completely over the top, mind you, but I want to have certain things with me for all of the "what if" scenarios:

In the diaper bag:

• I want to have at least three more diapers than I think I'll need because I've been stuck without diapers before and that's just not pretty.
• I want to have at least two small healthy snacks for Baby because you never know when you're going to get stuck somewhere and she's going to be hungry and cranky.
• Crayons
• Extra change of clothes for Baby

In my purse:

• A hidden $20 bill
• A small zippy with tampons and maxi pads because I have been stuck places without these before and that's just a terrible thing I don't ever want to repeat.
• Deck of cards.
• Chapstick. (This is the state where the wind comes sweeping off the plains, after all.)

The Hater bragged on me when we went on our vacation because I really didn't overpack at all. I packed my stuff and Baby's stuff for one week in one bag. The other bag had diapers, snacks, and bathroom stuff.

Occasionally things happen where I look into one of my bags with eager eyes to find exactly the thing that The Hater said I wouldn't need that, voila, we suddenly need. And, ta-da, we move on.

This is a common theme in my house. I'm constantly fighting the over-packing, over-preparedness gene. The Hater is always bemoaning that my bag is too heavy.

Today we stopped for lunch at a fast food place that has a little indoor play area. The highs since we've been back have been 100+ each day with the 10 day forecast looking equally bleak and hot with no rain in sight. It's just too hot to play outside right now. So we ate lunch at this place so that she could play on their playground and be merry prior to her nap.

During lunch she had a huge poop, so as soon as lunch was over I took her to the bathroom to change her before play time. We were in line behind one other lady who had a son who had also pooped. She laid him on the changing table, which was out in the open of the ladies room, talked about how big his poop was, then reached over and used dry paper towels to clean him. I try not to stare and gawk about the time she turns around and asks if she can borrow a diaper.

I tell her she's welcome to them, but that they're size 5. He looked bigger than that to me, but she said that's what size he's wearing now. She takes it and starts to tell me about how he had a huge poop before he left home so she didn't even bring any diapers with her to town.

I try not to drop my jaw and look completely shocked. Then I try not to stare at this poor boy's diaper rash bottom. I decide against offering diaper rash cream.

They leave. I change Baby's diaper with all of my important things in my diaper bag -- like a diaper, wipes, diaper rash cream -- things that I consider to be not over-the-top packing.

Later we're all playing in the little indoor playground area. She tells me this particular son is 20 months old. I continue to try not to be totally shocked that she didn't bring one spare diaper.

Am I really that over-prepared?