The morning started out peacefully enough. 

Even though Lake had been up every few hours last night. Poor little guy is teething and appears to have a snotty URI cold as well. We had a few mummy wins: doing my PT exercises, a home mani/pedi boldly in “berry naughty” and managing the laundry (which yes, qualifies as a major mummy win). Then, after one false start (got a few blocks away before we realized we had no diapers in our purse), headed down to University Village to do some errands. 

We needed to get outside into the beautiful autumn day after wrestling with the child care wait list/wait pool enrollment circus all night and again this morning on the phone. I thought it would be uplifting for my mood to be in the tranquil bustle of the cheerily landscaped outdoor shopping center. First, I went into Hanna Andersson and right way there was a mother of three juggling multiple out-of-control tantrums. I tried to be supportive in giving her the fashion advice she was flailing for with the inattentive clerks at the check out. 

Do you think it’s too much pink?

No, I don’t. I love pink. 

But ultimately it was nerve wracking and further demoralized me. So I went to another store. I thought I might check out what’s fashionable for BabyGap this fall. 

Then I heard a notorious sound. Lake had been saving it up since Tuesday. I never win by delaying the inevitable blowout mop-up. So, I immediately ask a crew member where the closest bathroom is. I’m sure I have the deer-in-the-headlights look. He points to the corner of the store. Wow, I think, so close! That’s great! 

But there’s no changing table…

He trails off. A calmer, smarter, more experienced version of myself might have reversed my steps right then and there and asked where the closest University Village restrooms are (they have nice changing tables if I recall correctly). But no, I blaze ahead to the nearby corner gender neutral bathroom. Lake ends up in the sink. 

There’s something about the poshness of the University Village that now turns against me and manifests the opposite effect I was going for. I wanted to feel uplifted. Instead I feel like I’m at the bottom of a very big hill. Well, actually, I am. Indeed it would do me good to put things in proper perspective and remember the University Village is built in a low-lying wetland area. A swamp. 

All pretense goes out the window. We get Lake sopped up and apply the dry fresh nappy. So glad we went back for that one! Who cares if we wear pants on the way home or not. I apply some fresh lipstick and step back out into the world. 

I love my little Lake.