Where Babies Don't Belong

Drew and I are fortunate to live in a very family-friendly town.  You can count on every restaurant to have a high chair and usually outdoor seating.  The parks are clean and on every corner.  Usually my baby is in an accommodating environment that makes me look like a parenting pro.  Sometimes, however, you can't help but bring a baby where they really don't belong.  We had a few experiences with this throughout Month 4. Some of which I handled gracefully, others... well... turned out kinda poopy.

The Airplane

You don't know judgment until you step into an airport terminal holding a baby.  As I watched countless faces turn to despair and dread, I couldn't help but feel a bit put off.  I held Baby B in the ergo carrier, ready for a red eye flight, and he was nothing short of adorable.  In fact, he stayed that way the whole ride to Florida for our friend's wedding.  We scheduled the red eye to save time and crossed our fingers he'd sleep the whole way.  I should've crossed both hands because while he slept in my arms peacefully the entire duration, I sat stationary and wide-eyed, unable to move lest I wake my sleeping angel.  For those of you who may not have flown in awhile, let me warn you they are making newer planes progressively more uncomfortable. By the time we arrived I felt like a Picasso painting.  It took several hours for everything to move back into place.

The Cathedral

The wedding venue was beautiful. Stain glass windows, 20-foot ceilings, sleek wooden pews, and the echoes- you could hear a pin drop in that place a mile away. I bet a baby's cry would resonate for days.  I carried Baby B in his suit, and sat down to see the bride come down the aisle.  It was to be a traditional Catholic service. We watched Drew and the rest of the groomsmen take their places along with the groom, listened to the music begin and enjoyed the processional.  Being a former bride myself, I knew exactly what to do the second the priest started speaking.  We snuck out the back.  I wasn't going to distract everyone with fidgeting and fussiness during an hour-long service.  We played on the steps of the cathedral until just before the bride and groom were announced.  We saw the best parts.  Afterwards when guests complimented my baby for being so remarkably well-behaved, I smiled and nodded.  Parenting win.

The Store

My son is not a fan of shopping.  We've had a few excursions end abruptly for one reason or another, but a particular trip to Target had me literally out of  breath either from embarrassment, stress or laughter. I can't decide.

It was nap time and he usually falls asleep in the car so I thought my plan of leaving during his nap and having him sleep through all of my errands was fool-proof.  Except that when we arrived at the store he was still wide awake.  We made it through several aisles before he got fussy and wanted to be held, leaving me with a baby in one hand and cart in the other, awkwardly pushing it slowly toward the register.  When he calmed down I put him in his carrier and that's when I heard it.  "gurgle." The familiar sound of a full diaper.  I figured I was on my way out, I could change him in the trunk of my car (which he prefers over the fold-down changers in store bathrooms for some reason) and we'd be on our way.  As soon as he was laying down and I lifted up his onesie I saw we had the most major blowout I've ever seen.  POOP EVERYWHERE.  I pulled out two wipes and realized they were my last ones.  Using every scrap of wipe, I'm cleaning poop off my baby, my car, his changing mat, etc.  Only having two hands, I tossed the soiled onesie onto the roof for a moment while I put on baby's diaper.  But a moment was all it took.

A gust of wind took the onesie, with all of that poop, and it blew away into a nearby parking spot.  There I am holding a naked baby in the trunk of my car staring in shock at a poop-covered garment completely out of reach.  I diapered the baby, picked him up and went after the onesie.  After I retrieved it and threw it in a plastic bag I still had to dress the baby, buckle him in, load all the merchandise, and pray he'd finally take that nap.

At 4 months, Baby B is 16lbs 5oz, 25.5 inches tall.  He's in the 75th percentile and has hit all the major milestones including rolling over both ways, standing and sitting with some assistance, giggling, grabbing his hands and feet, and blowing raspberries.

Baby B likes: tummy time, music class, pooping, eating, meeting new friends and family members, and traveling.

Baby B dislikes: sleeping, mittens, and the garbage disposal.