January 30, 2007 | Mama Smith

a day of errands

Matthew worked from home today, which translates into FREEDOM for me and B. We’re usually the “walking side of the family” with Matthew taking our car to work, but today the cranky Brighton and myself were offered some much needed time away from being cooped up indoors.

This included a run to the bank, post office, drug store, Trader Joes and Bed, Bath & Beyond. Whew. A lot to pack in to one morning. Which proved itself, as it ended up being one of those days where you actually wished you’d just stayed indoors.

It started off with me trying to balance Brighton on my belly while balancing 2 huge boxes on my other hip getting in to the post office. Bad idea. I didn’t see the sidewalk ledge and flew forward, frantically trying to grab B’s head before it whacked the cement. Just a second too late. One loud head crack and two sore knees later, Brighton and I were sitting in the soggy grass with him sobbing.

Later, we lost the car keys, not once but twice. Due to his fascination with keys, this is my one failproof way to keep him happy in the shopping cart. Today, that was a bad idea. He dropped them somewhere in Bed, Bath and Beyond which we didn’t realized until we were all bundle and out at the car. Then again, in the drug store. We finally found them on the shelf with the trash bags. Today I made him his own set of keys from random ones we had in the junk drawer. Those will be the only keys he’s given from here on out.

After arriving back home for lunch and a nap, the day continued to unravel for the poor guy. Thankfully he’s now splashing away in the bath enjoying some down time with his dad before heading to bed. And I’m off to yoga to try and shake this baby out.

Speaking of…funny, bizarre side story from today. At the post office, the clerk asked me when the baby was due and I told her next weekend. She yelled back for Shaniqua to get out here asking her if I looked like I was having a baby. Shaniqua immediately said, “That baby must be hangin’ out of you already or somethin’. I think he’s dropped so low he must be halfway out already! Are you sure he’s not hangin’ out of you right now??” She went on with these vividly bizarre descriptions for awhile. While it’s been said in different ways before that I carry small and low, I’d never heard in described quite like that. Matthew and I were rolling over that this afternoon. Only in Philly. I can’t imagine the post master saying that to me in Charlottesville, VA. These actually are some of the reasons I love the uniqueness of the city.