Spacial Awareness

Just like a fat cat, when I was pregnant I learned that I could no longer use my whiskers as a guide to fit through tight spaces. I started scouting out where the bathrooms were the moment I walked into a mall, new restaurant or clients office.  I kept an eye out for the closest elevator, 'mom & moms to be' parking spaces, water coolers. I started to improve my spacial awareness.

Being pregnant prepares you on so many levels for being a new mom. When I'm out in public with my baby I am constantly scanning the scene for all of the above, plus keeping one eye on the nearest creeper/sick person/strange lady who is gearing toward grabbing my baby's germ free hand for a little squeeze. Please people - touch her sock covered foot, not her hand that will soon go into her mouth!

In all of this environmental monitoring, I have also become aware at how many people don't know a frig about what's going on around them. Now, I promised myself I wouldn't use this blog as a place to rant, but I need to get this off my chest. For those of you sans baby, being out & about with baby is similar to trying to merge onto the highway with 100m to go and the dudette in the slow lane just won't let you in. Sometimes it's pretty frustrating.

Like this week, for example, we went to a Starbucks where they don't have a handicap door button. Did the older lady in front of me hold the door as I awkwardly tried to leave with a car seat in one hand and latte in the other? Of course not. At the grocery store: did the cashier hurry up talking to her friend so she could ring me through as my baby was obviously crying in line? Of course not. Driving in my quiet neighbourhood: did the guy behind me stop honking for me to drive faster when he noticed the big "baby on board" sign in my back window? Of course not.

Now, I can forgive my paper boy for chucking the news at my front door, which causes Mason to bark, which wakes Madelyn up from her most difficult 4pm nap, which interrupts my Y&R retrieve, which means Mark walks in the door to an upside down smile. But, I have a hard time forgiving these people who aren't getting anywhere ahead by playing ignorant to my baby in tow.

I know I'm far from perfect in this regard, but at least I'm trying. I'm trying to stop running over people's toes with my stroller wheels (sorry people of Manhattan). I'm trying to have better timing so Madelyn doesn't start wailing for a feed out in public (sorry people at TD bank that one day). I'm trying to be a better driver (sorry everyone who has ever driven behind me).

Big sigh. I feel better now getting this off my chest.

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Today we are going Toy Shopping with Joelle and her mommy. Never to early to start Christmas shopping! At least today we will be at a place with majority moms & babies. So, as long as I don't bump wheels with too many moms it should be a good day. (Note to self: work on improving side by side stroller driving skills).