One thing I’ve learned about motherhood thus far is that the human being is capable of doing so much more than what one would ordinarily think possible. Take today, for instance. I was at the grocery store and my cart was three-fourths of the way full. As I was walking down the dairy aisle, Meredith decided to wake from her peaceful nap and start wailing. Loudly. It wasn’t long before I started to notice eyeballs being pointed in my direction and, not wanting to become the focal point of the entire store, I tried to shush and pacify my daughter. This was to no avail and finally I was forced to take her out of her infant seat and rock her while holding the pacifier in her mouth. I tried several times to place her back in her seat but she instantly started wailing again. I looked down at my grocery list and then back at the groceries piled in my cart. I wasn’t sure how it would work but I figured that I was going to, somehow, have to hold Meredith, push my cart with my one free hand, get the rest of my groceries, check-out, and load my car.
Today I learned a valuable piece of information: it is much easier to pull a cart with one hand than push a cart with one hand. It took me about five minutes to figure this out, by the way. I must be a slow study.
At the check-out counter, I was able to unload all my groceries with just one hand except for the large watermelon in my cart. I put Meredith down for a second (she of course wailed loudly), threw the watermelon on the conveyor belt, and then picked her up again. Somehow – don’t ask me how – I managed to find my check card in my purse and pay for my groceries.
Then I realized I was up for the biggest challenge of the day. I had chosen to shop at a grocery store that requires you to bag your own groceries (as a cost saving measure). I single-handedly bagged and loaded about half of my groceries until, at last, one of the employees took pity on me and offered to help.
As I exited the grocery store, again pulling my cart with one hand and holding the baby in the other arm, it was over 100 degrees outside. But I had already started perspiring long ago – in the dairy aisle to be precise.
Now I’m home. Meredith is blissfully sleeping. The world is peaceful again. And I’ve learned a lot about what a human being is capable of doing under certain circumstances.
_________________
On another note, I’m very happy to report that Meredith has started to smile “for real” now. (In other words, she smiles at times other than when she has gas.) Last night she made eye contact with Kevin and he smiled at her while telling her “hi gorgeous” and she beamed back at him. We know it was a “real” smile because, for the first time, she smiled with her eyes.
This is something I’ve been waiting for. It’s amazing how much you can love a baby who shows no recognition of you and no tangible appreciation for you. But it’s SO very nice – like the icing on the cake – when they begin to show an understanding that you actually exist and can smile back at you.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
How sweet ... :)
that sounded quite a supermarket expedition! Congrads on persevering!
I've spent the last few weeks learning what it is in my daily routine that can be done with one hand and what cannot. Every task falls into one of those two categories. =)
Good grief! You had to lift your own watermelon!!! Did you land yourself in the self-checkout aisle? I'm sorry you didn't have a nice patron waiting in line to offer their aide - I've had to do that from time to time when the person in front of me is staring blankly at the self-check out screen. In the end they always look so grateful I explained how it worked. Oh well.. .next time I see you in the grocery store with Meredith I'll be sure to lend a hand or two. :)
You're getting some practice in the super-human feats required in mommy-hood.
Yay for the smiles from the daughter. I can only imagine what a thrill it must be.
Oh Pa Pa.
KOOOOOOOOOOOOONS!
What a thrill it is to do those super human feats and feel like you accomplished something! I once nursed a baby while changing a load of laundry. ONCE! Only to say that I could do it should I choose to do it although I would never choose to do it again. Just like to do those things every once in a while to feel like a 'super mom'. "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me."
-geni
Post a Comment