A stranger's view- September 30, 2011

A stranger’s view- September 30, 2011

Sometimes it takes a stranger to give you perspective.

Yesterday I went to pick up Ginger from the groomer/doggie daycare place we take her every other week. Charlotte was in the car. She’s teething and she hadn’t taken her regular afternoon nap so she was fussy and out-of-sorts. This of course meant I was fussy and out-of-sorts. She passed out on the way there. Sweet! She’s asleep!

Oh crap! I have to get her out of the car to go in and pay and get the dog. Lord help the mangy mutt that wakes up my baby!

I left her in her car seat and carried the whole seat inside. Stay asleep, stay asleep, stay asleep. I surveyed the scene at checkout. There was a couple ushering out some quiet dogs, two women at checkout, and a staffer. I thought we’d be okay. I mean, you could hear the dogs in the back barking, but she would most likely sleep through that.

I set her down in the carrier while I paid. Just then, a squishy, big-pawed puppy bounds out of the back room, dragging a young staffer behind him. The pup sees his owner and lets out a yelp before crashing into Charlotte’s car seat.

3…2…1…

The crying begins.

I stoop down and try to comfort her with a paci that hurts her tender little gums and she wails some more. The puppy’s owner apologizes and quickly leaves.

I look up and see the other woman looking down at me as I rock the seat back and forth. The woman asked, “How old is she?” “She’s 10 1/2 months. Uggh! She’s off her sleeping schedule and she’s getting some more teeth. She’s driving Mama crazy,” I replied. I asked her, “Do you have children?”

That’s when I saw the look in her eyes. It was a slightly empty, sad stare. It’s the look I’ve seen on the faces of friends struggling with infertility. Her voice was very low, “No. I wish we did. We’ve been trying. We don’t have any children yet.”

The staff brought out our dogs and we left as she took one more look back at my baby.

My baby. The one I’m so lucky to have in my arms. She’s a teething, fussy, out-of-sorts, beautiful, miracle I’m ashamed to say took a stranger to appreciate.

2 Responses to “A stranger’s view- September 30, 2011”

Anonymous says:

September 30, 2011 at 3:36 pm

I suffered infertility (or so they said) for a while before getting pregnant. it was heartbreaking. It did sting to hear parents complaining about parenthood or pregnany women complain about pregnancy when I was in the trenches. But don't feel bad for complaining once in a while. YOu can still appreciate the miracle that she is while being frustrated/overwhelmed/etc. Parenthood is a wonderful miracle that I wish everyone who wants to experience it could, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows 24-7!

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C. Beth says:

October 1, 2011 at 10:45 am

What a touching story…great reminder to appreciate my crazy kids.

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