table for two - i mean three...

When you're home on leave of absence watching a little one, you figure you should schedule some routine appointments before you go back to work. I've lined up dentist, neurologist, the "lady doctor" (who of course I had to see, but that's neither here nor there), a hair appointment, and right before I go back to work - a manicure (why get that now...I wash my hands every 5 minutes and the only person that would see would be a baby far too young to appreciate fabulous polish).

Now, while I have a number of able and willing babysitters, very few of them are available during the day. Suddenly you realize that you need to take the baby with to your appointments. The lady doctor, well that's fine b/c everyone there is either working on having one, hoping not to have one, or just got done having one. I took her to the dentist yesterday, and that worked ok, though I was a bit nervous rocking her carseat with my foot while someone was drilling on my tooth, but these are the sacrifices we make. I'm not sure how it will go over at the neurologist or dermatologist. I really should be focused when I'm discussing the health of my brain with someone. I have no idea how I feel about her coming to the dermo...TBD.

At my salon (and spa, as the sign says), there is actually a sign inside that says something along the lines of "we're not a child care center, please leave children at home". Well excuuuuuse me. I guess single mothers out there with no babysitters are destined for long, messy hair and super bushy eyebrows.

We did take our first adventure to a restaurant the other night (to where else...Friendly's). I was protesting the whole way there..."she's too unpredictable...she's going to cry...we're going to have everyone looking at us". We get in there, place our order, and as the food came, I was already prepared to have to ask for a box to go, positive that within minutes she'd be miserable. Lo and behold, she was fine. The smell of fried food and noise of all the voices must have been intriguing. So unfortunately, she actually made it through the whole dinner. I say unfortunately because the hubby is a Friendly's addict, and now I have no excuse to not go.

I have discovered the key to making these trips have a higher potential for success. Make sure you feed her before you leave...period. That does pose one issue. For some reason she loves to poop when sitting in her car seat, and sometimes, when the buckle is between her legs, it seems to have nowhere to go but up. But that's ok. I'll take a child that reeks over one that's making a scene in the waiting room. Hey - poo happens.