Motherhood isn't always pretty

Every time it's time to pick Steve up for work, I always think that we'll just come STRAIGHT home afterwards.

So it shouldn't really matter if Eliza or I don't have shoes, I let the dog come along without a leash, I'm not wearing make-up or I still haven't gotten a shower since my morning workout. No problem because we won't see anyone and we'll just come straight home. And every time I tell myself that, something always happens to thwart my (lack of a) plan!

Lots of times, I just forget to bring my cell phone, which requires me to pull 'Liza out of her car seat and tromp upstairs in my disheveled state to Steve's office on the top floor to let him know we're here.

Other times, I think we'll go straight home so I don't pack Eliza any baby food, and we end up deciding to go to Kate's house to work on paintings or to the library, or to go out to eat b/c we don't feel like cooking. Thankfully, Eliza now can eat a hardy meal of "real people food" instead of only pureed versions, so that's helped.

Usually I just can't manage to find the matching sandal or sock or bow. And at those times, I always worry that people see me and think, why would that mother let herself/ her daughter out of the house looking like that or with no shoes!

Today we were going to meet Steve for lunch, so I threw everything and everyone except the cat into the car along with heated up lunch for Steve and took off in the car. I called Steve on the way b/c I was thinking that maybe since he got to work so early, he might just want to work through lunch and then get off in an hour. He agreed that this sounded like a good plan so I'd see him at about 2:45.

Well, I figured since we had finally managed to get ourselves mobilized, there wasn't much sense in just turning around. We could kill an hour easily. I reviewed my options- library, park, dollar store shopping (helps me blow my shopping impulse without ruining our budget), produce run, Petsmart, or park.

Then I reviewed our resources available to us in the car. I had packed snacks and water, toys, paci, diapers, stroller, wallet, dog. We went to the library yesterday and Petsmart last Friday so we were well stocked on those items. I hadn't worn my tennis shoes so I couldn't go to the gym. Mika wouldn't be able to go into the store with us, and it was a pretty hot day... so park it is!

And then I remembered Eliza had no shoes and Mika had no leash. So this is the part where I employ my McGyver like skills and scrounge around in my Mary Poppins bag aka trunk and see what I can do. I found a 10 ft piece of fuschia colored ribbon from the wedding I attended last month, and told myself that not that many people notice if a baby that doesn't quite know how to walk yet is wearing shoes or not. Eliza hardly keeps hers on anywayz when I do manage to bring them.

So we had a fun time at the park. Swings and giant sand box, water fountain, and luscious grass under the shade of a tree. Great way to kill an hour on a Friday afternoon.

I feel like I should put together a backup kit in my car for times like these that would include an extra pair of shoes for both Eliza and me, a leash for mika, hair things for me and Eliza, water, change of clothes, hair brush, non-perishable snacks, string, batteries, umbrella, $20, and a transistor radio. Yeah, that's a 72 hour kit.

Anywayz, I feel like I totally relate to the Suave commercial....

and it makes me laugh everytime I see it...