June 14, 2010 - Two Heads (and Everything Else) are Better Than One

I tried. I woke up this morning and said I can do this, I've got this. I was confident, self assured and positive it was all going to go as smooth as, well, a baby's bottom. (I've got to use that one, baby and all that) Today, Georgia and I were going to conquer the zoo, just the two of us.

If you're not laughing yet and saying "what was she thinking," it's simply because you haven't tried to take an eight month old to the zoo all by yourself, an eight month old with a cold at that. (But don't worry, I was not contaminating the zoo. Her fever had broken more than 24 hours prior)

Off we went to the zoo, and I should have turned around when I saw the parking lot was overflowing and there were swarms of people. But I was confident. I even nursed Georgia right there in the parking lot with the door cracked to let a breeze in.

Maybe I should have turned around when not 10 minutes inside the gate Georgia was already acting hungry again. But I was self assured. We even got a successful giraffe picture. I wonder if she thought it was a MASSIVE Sophie!

Maybe I should have turned around when Georgia seemed a little freaked out by the darkness of a zoo exhibit or possible all the people ev-e-ry-whe-re. It's Monday, doesn't anyone work anymore? But no, I was positive.

Then maybe I should have turned around for home when Georgia started screaming outside an exhibit and people were staring and I was struggling in the oppressive heat to now carry an eight month old in one arm and push the stroller with the other and I overheard another mother pitying me and ... OK, I did freaking turn and head for home at this point. If I could have run at that point for the car, I would have but I'm sure I would have lost a stroller and trampled a couple dozen melted ice cream-covered kids in the process.

Lesson learned. The zoo is reserved for one baby and two parents. Two heads, two sets of arms, two sets of legs and two backs. Period.