It’s 12:00 PM, and I’m sitting at a Cafe with Little, attempting to put forkfuls of salad in my mouth with my left hand as my right hand does its best to keep him from falling head first out of his high chair. And no, unfortunately this one doesn’t have a buckle. After multiple, ‘you need to sit down, you will fall and get an ouchie,’ I give up and take him out. He sits in my lap for a good sixty seconds before he decides to slide down and run around the restaurant shoeless. I run after him, and holy magnolia, this child has gotten really fast. I finally grab him, and do the walk of shame back to my seat as I get a few glares. ‘That’s it,’ I say, ‘you will sit in your stroller.’ ‘Mommy, noooooooo!’ He yells at the top of his lungs. More stares. I practically throw my credit card at the server, and leave the restaurant disheveled.
This was not one of our best days. But I can say Little has gotten much better at going out and being able to sit still. The most difficult part of it for me has been the people who’re quick to judge. Before hubby and I became parents, we were pretty judgemental ourselves. We would go to restaurants, see misbehaving kids, and wonder what was wrong with their parents. How could they possibly let their child sit underneath the table, and wipe his hands all over the very unclean ground? Gross, right? I’ve let Little do that. And I’ve let him do a lot of things that are borderline gross, to downright disgusting. Because you have to choose your battles. He wants to squeeze his ketchup into his water, stir it with a cheese stick, and then drink it? Fine. As long as he’s safe, not bothering anyone, and sitting, I don’t care.
A while back when I was pregnant with Little, we had family staying with us, and their Little boy had a fever of 103. Hubby and I were flabbergasted as to how calm they were. We couldn’t understand why the child wasn’t being hospitalized. 103 seemed so high for a toddler. Now, 103 is peanuts. We’ve experienced even higher temperatures. However, we still call Little’s doctor several times, and he reassures us that no, we don’t need to call an ambulance.
Crazy how things change when you have kids. All the preconceived notions I used to have of other parents and their kids behavior, I just have one thing to say; I’m sorry. So very very sorry.
Baby steps, and please don’t judge me,
Roxy
Talking Baby Bumps 