Today I joined the ranks of stay-at-home moms nationwide and ventured out in the early afternoon to no place other than…you got it. The mall! I am no longer the woman clacking around the department store in stilettos on a mission during her lunchbreak. No. I barely made it out the door as quickly as possible after Avery’s 12:00 feeding to try and maximize my time before the little monster got hungry again. My hair was clean, but damp and in a ponytail, I was wearing jeans, sneakers and a sweatshirt, and as for makeup…well I don’t even remember if I had time to put makeup on.
As I strolled from Bon Ton to JCPenney’s in Wilton Mall to complete my returns, stopping at various points throughout to try to get Avery to chomp on her pacifier and calm down, I found myself very aware of the fact that she and I may be somewhat irritating to the women clacking around the mall in stilettos on their lunchbreaks all dressed up in work clothes. And so the world turns.
I got a little ambitious when my returns were completed. Would Avery stay happy long enough for me to, gasp, buy a new pair of jeans with my store credit so I can stop wearing my maternity jeans and have something to hold me over until I fit into the rest of my jeans? And the most miraculous thing happened. Avery drifted off into a peaceful sleep, shortly after celebrating in the dressing room with me, because, alas, every single pair of jeans I tried on buttoned and looked absolutely fabulous.
HA! You didn’t buy that, did you? Here’s how it really went. I finished my returns while Avery started screaming, a few minutes AFTER she should have been sound asleep for her afternoon nap. I tried on ten pairs of jeans whilst she screamed, and ended up purchasing the one pair that barely buttoned and looked half decent, since they’d be a fitting (pun not intended) replacement for the maternity jeans that are just about threadbare from being worn daily for the last…eight months. In fact, I don’t even know if I grabbed the right pair! Hopefully they will fit and look half decent. I haven’t had time to try them on again yet.
Yes, life changes. No, I wouldn’t take it back. We are home, and she’s about to wake up for some grub…and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Besides, while she eats, I get to enjoy another thing I’ve discovered in the world of stay-at-home mommyhood…daytime television! Rachael Ray, here I come.
ha! your post had me laughing hysterically. I was reminiscing about how wonderful it was when Hannah used to fall asleep in her strollers when I went to the mall in the afternoons (now we’re homebound once noon-time hits)… but then post-partum pregnancy jean celebration! That snapped me right out of my warm fuzzy memory moment.:) And then I had to laugh. From one corporate-momma-turned-stay-at- home-momma to another: thanks for the laughs and posting a story that inspires me to continue to embrace motherhood along with all it’s adventures. And you’re right: It’s all worth it.
Pushing a stroller around the mall is good exercize! The more you do it, the less she will scream. Or so one would hope.
I miss shopping with you. Maybe I can join you one of these days. But you can rest assured that I won’t be wearing stilettos!
your so funny. i was so mad when i read how all the jeans you tried on fit and looked fabulous! and then i was very glad to read how they didnt. lol. well not really glad.. but you know…… lol. mine looked aweful! the first pair i bought we like 2 sizes bigger than i normally would wear… and within a few weeks…those were too big and then i had to go out an get another pair….so i was only 1 size above….
i just realozed the other day that when i finally lost the remaining 15 pounds that didnt want to come off…. was right after i stopped breast feeding. yes, breastfeeding helps you burn lots of calories and lose weight… but you also need to hold on to some fat so that you can produce all the milk for the baby/……… soooooooooooooooooooo that is something to look forward to..even though i know that is not the case for everyone.
i still want to come and see baby avery with alivia and my 15 week preggers belly!
You had me laughing so hard. Boy i don’t miss those moments! I hope the jeans work out, i can never find anything that fits right since the baby was born!