Why the baby came after the remodel
It feels like another lifetime ago that Joey and I spent our days and nights ripping apart and reassembling our home. When we weren’t up to our asses in debris or caulk or paint, we were inevitably at hardware stores, ranging from local mom and pop places, to Home Depot, Menards or Lowes.
No matter where we were, the scene was always the same—both of us in dirt or paint-splattered clothing and a gigantic shopping list in hand.
These days, the scene is a little different. Our lists are short and our visits brief. Mostly because we come with a toddler in tow, and just like you need to act fast with 90-minute drywall mud, you need to be even quicker with an impatient 18-month-old.
While Joey searched for under-cabinet LED lighting for the kitchen, I literally chased after Adeline, who had befriended a child’s-sized snow shovel and decided trotting up and down the aisles dragging it behind her was THE GREATEST GAME EVER! EVER!!!
Most customers and sales associates paused to let the tiny blur of her body pass, the sounds of plastic-on-cement following behind her as her shovel kept pace with her scampering.
I overheard whispers of, “Awww, so cute” and hoped they were sincere.
As I briefly and nimbly restrained my daughter at each intersection to protect her from oncoming foot traffic, I had a momentary out-of-body experience, where I recalled a pre-mommy version of myself swearing my children would always be calm and well-behaved in public…just like I swore Joey and I would go out for dinner and a movie twice a month and the backseat of my car would never house toys and snack food.
It’s amazing how easy it is to envision, assume and judge what life will be like when you have kids before they’re here. And it’s equally amazing how The Universe kicks you right on your butt when they arrive, just to show you what a dumb-ass you were.
It is so true!!!
I once had a Target worker say something snarky to me because my son was riding under the basket, flat on his belly. I don’t know why she cared so much. It gave me peace for a few minutes and he wasn’t disturbing anyone.