Today warranted it's very own blog post.
Plans for the day were simple: eat, go to childrens museum, come back to hotel, eat, nap, go out for coffee, walk around, come back to hotel, eat, bathe and sleep.
For the most part, that was how the day went.
That is, of course, with the exception of a couple of unhappy traveling-with-baby lessons.
Lesson 1: Even when baby can't reach his shoe (because he's in a front pack), his mental powers are sooo strong, he can will it to leap from his foot. We'd just entered the subway on the way back from the museum, and were enjoying a snack, when I looked down and saw only sock.
Thankfully I voiced my distress aloud and someone had noticed a single baby shoe laying on the ground near the turnstiles. Sure enough it was ours.
I think from now on I'll hold onto his feet or just keep shoes off all together when we're on the go and he's not walking...which is mostly.
I also thought how every time I saw a single baby shoe before I had a baby I'd think "How the heck did they not notice the shoe was gone??"
Oh they did. Three hours later.
Speaking of careless parents, let's see lesson two...
Lesson 2: No matter how much baby WANTS to be next to the windowed-door of the subway car, resist. OR at the very least, when folks are getting on and off the subway move out of arms-reach from the door.
Okay, this is hard to admit but...
Wait, a little back story.
I've seen kids (babies through preteens and beyond) get their fingers shut in doors of all kinds. I would think two things normally. 1) Marvel at how rubbery their bones are so as not to break. 2) Wonder how their parents could be such bad parents to let that happen.
Okay, nobody 'let's' that happen, sometimes it just does.
Like today when we were by the door and as folks were about to board I moved out of the way.
Baby's sticky hand clung to the glass and in went his finger, between the rubbery jams.
Baby did not cry or respond, but as I struggled to pull the door back, all the people who were otherwise 'tuned out' on the train suddenly became alert and active and helped to free his hand.
One lady even let him later hold her iced-coffee cup.
I wanted to say more than the 'Thanks' I doled out, but after one or two rounds I knew it was time to pay my price...the looks and thoughts of others labeling me as careless parent.
Sigh.
I'm just glad baby was unharmed by this event and I'm reminded of the extra stress I signed up for by becoming a parent.
Lesson 3: if you let the baby push the 'buttons' once, then you're letting him push them ALWAYS. Every elevator we come across now elicits a 'buh-buh' and pointing fingers at the buttons. After the above-mentioned finger entrapment issue, I really indulged him just to be sure his fingers were okay.
They were.
That said, at every elevator (and you know there are a LOT in NYC) he wants to have access to push the buttons and it's no one's fault but my own for setting up that expectation.
Randomness of the day:
Dear Random Pedestrian, If you feel the urgent need to open your pint of hooch for an early afternoon sip WHILE you are standing IN the street, PLEASE at least be courteous not to do so in front of the curb-cut when a stroller is coming by.
Dear Wheelchair-bound guy, I'm not trying to be rude or rub my 'walking' ability in your face when I have to maneuver around you with a baby stroller. So sarcastically pointing out that I can walk doesn't really help the matter. (But I had to laugh a little on the inside because this type of encounter can only be possible in New York).
Dear Well-Dressed Business Man, Instead of mimicking the physical motion of the quick-wristed flier hander outer guy AFTER you've passed him, take one of his fliers. He'd appreciate it. However, if you're mimicking the motion because you'd like that job, I'm sure there are street corners and stacks of papers with your name on them.
That's it for today.
Peace
A Pink American
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