the best laid plans...

Babies have an interesting way of being acutely aware of 5 and 10 minute blocks of time. Various situations seem to beg for their interference during these intervals. While it's questionable whether they realize the impact they have during these interventions, they are no less annoying. We've all seen "Look Who's Talking", so there is a very strong possibility that they are being intentionally vindictive, but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.

Classic examples:
- 5 minutes prior to leaving the house when on a deadline (like getting to work at a certain time, meeting family somewhere, etc), babies have an insatiable need to poop. These tend to be the sticky, messy kind that slop up all over the inside of the diaper. After the diaper is changed, the baby is rebundled and strapped into the car seat, and you've put your coat back on and picked your bags/purse back up, you're out the door, running about 10 minutes late.

- 10 minutes after arriving at a restaurant, or about 5 to 10 minutes after your food has arrived, some sort of breakdown occurs. Possibly a similar poop episode, or maybe hunger, or possibly simple exhaustion or over stimulation? After changing a diaper or mixing a bottle and feeding the child, your food has been sitting for 10 minutes, has gotten cold, and you're left to eat your somewhat appetizing meal while your husband sits and watches, as he's been done for a bit (which you saw happen in disdain as you cared for the child, watching him eat).

- 5 minutes after getting dressed in the morning, as you carry the baby from one room to another, spit, slobber, drool, or spitup ends up on your shoulder. Had you still been wearing your PJs, this would be a non-issue, however you're wearing your work attire. Inevitably you've opted for a black blouse or sweater (which in my case is a daily occurrence), and are now faced with two options. Put on a different top (though it's possible that this was the only ironed or clean one that matched your pants, and a whole new outfit seems extreme), or go to work with a white spot on your shirt that looks like you tried to deodorize your ear or brush your hair with your sudsy toothbrush.

I can't wait until the day that she's more independent and can start de-robing at will, or when she can throw her cereal across the table, or throw up for that matter, all while trying to get out the door to catch the school bus. Or maybe it'll be 10 minutes into the newest Disney release when she decides that the talking fish is more like Jaws then Nemo and sobs on my shoulder and we're stuck leaving the theater losing our $12/person investment in the process.

Babies and toddlers don't need to learn to tell time. Simply tell them what goal you have in mind for the day, and they'll be able to break apart the day in 5 to 10 minute increments, which is all they need to be satisfied. Whether or not you're amused has no bearing.