My friend Jess just started a blog called A+ Parenting Today. It's all about how academic overachievers may be in for a shock (and quite a few failures) once they become parents.
So today I had a great "A+ Parenting" moment. We were at Bag & Save, because avocados were on sale (because that's pretty much the only reason to do mid-week stock up shopping at Bag & Save). As we were almost done, Sarah began grunting. I'm sure most parents would recognize THE GRUNT. You know, the one that signals that there is a special surprise waiting for you later.
A+ Parenting Moment 1: I thought to myself, "I'll finish shopping, pay, load her up and drive home before I deal with that." (We live about six blocks away; the only other reason to shop at Bag & Save.)
At the checkout, however, I could see that it was not waiting, as there were two giant spots on her pants that were growing. I paid, asked the cashier if I could leave my cart up front while I changed her diaper, and gingerly carried her towards the back, trying not to touch the growing spots. As I walked back, I hoped there would be a changing table. Since I'm a woman, there was, albeit a little grungy.
Luckily, my diaper bag came with a little mat for changes, so I put that down on the changing table, then laid her down. (Actual A+ Parenting Moment.)
A+ Parenting Moment 2: The wipes packet felt like it had about two wipes left in it, and I had a feeling this was at least a six wipe job.
A+ Parenting Moment 3: I could only find the shirt of the spare outfit I thought I kept in the diaper bag. I remember before I had a baby, hearing about situations like this, and thinking, "How hard is it to keep a spare outfit with you when you leave the house?" Let me explain how it happens: I put the spare outfit in the bag several months ago, when she had just started wearing size 6 month clothes. She is now in 9 month clothes. I did not switch out the new size. Also, it was a T-shirt. It's now January.
A+ Parenting Moment 4: Sarah is at this point screaming because she's naked, tired, and hungry. Did I mention we're now late for lunch and nap? And remember, she's the World's Loudest Baby.
I got her cleaned up as best I could, luckily the wipes lasted. I crammed her in to the shirt (fortunately it was a regular shirt, not a onesie) and carried her out of the bathroom, wearing just a shirt, diaper, and socks.
We got back to the front of the store, and I looked in the diaper bag one more time. Jeans!
A+ Parenting Moment 5: I laid her down on the area where you used to actually have to bag your own groceries right at the front of the store and put her jeans on.
A+ Parenting Moment 6: Her coat was in the car, because it's a fairly warm day and she was originally wearing long sleeves and I draped a blanket over her when we went in. Now, I had to get the cart out and she's in a T-shirt (but at least she had pants on). I just draped the blanket around her in the cart again and out we walked.
So that's my A+ for the day. Oh, but remember? We use cloth diapers, so I got to take the whole mess home with me!
So today I had a great "A+ Parenting" moment. We were at Bag & Save, because avocados were on sale (because that's pretty much the only reason to do mid-week stock up shopping at Bag & Save). As we were almost done, Sarah began grunting. I'm sure most parents would recognize THE GRUNT. You know, the one that signals that there is a special surprise waiting for you later.
A+ Parenting Moment 1: I thought to myself, "I'll finish shopping, pay, load her up and drive home before I deal with that." (We live about six blocks away; the only other reason to shop at Bag & Save.)
At the checkout, however, I could see that it was not waiting, as there were two giant spots on her pants that were growing. I paid, asked the cashier if I could leave my cart up front while I changed her diaper, and gingerly carried her towards the back, trying not to touch the growing spots. As I walked back, I hoped there would be a changing table. Since I'm a woman, there was, albeit a little grungy.
Luckily, my diaper bag came with a little mat for changes, so I put that down on the changing table, then laid her down. (Actual A+ Parenting Moment.)
A+ Parenting Moment 2: The wipes packet felt like it had about two wipes left in it, and I had a feeling this was at least a six wipe job.
A+ Parenting Moment 3: I could only find the shirt of the spare outfit I thought I kept in the diaper bag. I remember before I had a baby, hearing about situations like this, and thinking, "How hard is it to keep a spare outfit with you when you leave the house?" Let me explain how it happens: I put the spare outfit in the bag several months ago, when she had just started wearing size 6 month clothes. She is now in 9 month clothes. I did not switch out the new size. Also, it was a T-shirt. It's now January.
A+ Parenting Moment 4: Sarah is at this point screaming because she's naked, tired, and hungry. Did I mention we're now late for lunch and nap? And remember, she's the World's Loudest Baby.
I got her cleaned up as best I could, luckily the wipes lasted. I crammed her in to the shirt (fortunately it was a regular shirt, not a onesie) and carried her out of the bathroom, wearing just a shirt, diaper, and socks.
We got back to the front of the store, and I looked in the diaper bag one more time. Jeans!
A+ Parenting Moment 5: I laid her down on the area where you used to actually have to bag your own groceries right at the front of the store and put her jeans on.
A+ Parenting Moment 6: Her coat was in the car, because it's a fairly warm day and she was originally wearing long sleeves and I draped a blanket over her when we went in. Now, I had to get the cart out and she's in a T-shirt (but at least she had pants on). I just draped the blanket around her in the cart again and out we walked.
So that's my A+ for the day. Oh, but remember? We use cloth diapers, so I got to take the whole mess home with me!
