Lesson #22 - People, Especially Strangers, Have No Shame (Part II)

Okay...for those of you who missed Part I in this series of posts, please take a peak here (written yesterday). Those of you who read that post already - HORRAY!! You can now move on to Part II. Again, true story(ies)!!

3. The man and I were walking around the mall. Not because we wanted to shop, but because I HAP to get out of the house and walk around...and in the middle of summer, I also wanted air conditioning. The mall seemed like a logical choice seeing as there are groups of 60+ individuals EVERY. WHERE. who mall walk in the mornings...so it has to be a good idea, right?! Anyways, so we;re walking around the mall and going in and out of the stores. Again, not because we were actually going to BUY anything, but because it added to the enjoyment of said walk. So, we go into this store that sell painting prints - and some very nice ones, I might add. The sales rep approached the man and I asking if we needed any help. We politely declined and she happened to see the babe - wide-eyed - in her carrier. She made some cooing sounds and asked how old she was - to which I replied, "only 3 weeks old." The rep looked up at me and - without missing a beat said, "Oh, well she is absolutely adorable. Do you know what you're having next?" I'm sorry?! Next?! Do you now something I don't?? Is there some sign above my head that says - currently pregnant?? No. No there is not. Look Ms. Painting Sales Rep...I know you are 5 foot 10 and weigh only 100 pounds, but when women get pregnant they do this little thing called GAIN WEIGHT! I realize that this is a hard concept for you to grasp, but you really should read up on manners before just spouting garble!! Not to mention, DO. THE. MATH. If the babe is 3 weeks old...what makes you think I could be pregnant - and showing - again so quickly?!?! Ugh!!!

4. The man had gone back to work and I wanted to go to the grocery store. I put the babe - wrapped in her blanket and all - in her car seat and drove to the store. We don't live in the middle of nowhere...the grocery store is maybe 5 minutes from our house...so it didn't take long to get there. I pulled out the stroller and wheel it over to the passenger door. As I'm pulling the babe out of the car, a woman - who had just parked - was getting out of her car. Mind you, it is July/August...it is hot, humid and I'm cranky. She comments on how beautiful the babe is (why is it that everyone starts unwanted advice with how pretty the babe is??) and then proceeds to tell me that she shouldn't be taken out of the house yet. Okay...maybe if it was the DEAD of winter, I could see that a 3-4 week old really shouldn't be taken out in the elements...but in the summer, really?? If only this woman knew that the SAME DAY we were discharged from the hospital, we had errands to run and things to purchase...and we took the babe with us! UGH!!

Lesson #22 - People, Especially Strangers, Have No Shame (Part I)

When the man and I first found out we were pregnant (to read the story, please go here), we went out and bought a plethora of books on the topic. We got everything from pregnancy timelines and what the heck is happening to my body - those were for me. We also got a few on being a daddy for idiots and what the heck is happening to your wife's body - those were for the man. I think the only ones we did not purchase were the name-related ones...icanpickacreativenamewithoutastinkinbookthankyouverymuch! If you've never been pregnant or even if you have been, but decided to forgo the books - let me just tell you this...these books include EVERYTHING!! By everything, I mean...well...every. single. thing.

The topics that were covered ranged from, "how is it possible to gain 10 pounds in one week" to "". There was a small section, not even a whole chapter, hidden in the bowels of one of these sacred books. As I'm reading this section - which was more of a side note, really - I couldn't help but laugh. It was about the gall that strangers possess and their propensity for diarrhea of the mouth (for more of that, read this) around pregnant women. Below is my list of things to avoid saying/doing around pregnant women because they all happened to me...and I wanted to punch someone - true story(ies).

1. Do not ask about breast feeding. Okay...so I'm standing in line at the grocery store with the babe - who is a mere three weeks old at this point. After putting all of my groceries on the belt, the cashier starts this small talk bit about the babe. I'm all about answering questions about how big she was when she was born or how long he was in labor. However, when it comes to feeding...I'm not so quick to respond. "Are you breast or bottle feeding," the cashier asks...seriously?!?! NOTE. TO. ALL. The bottle or breast question to a stranger is NONE. OF. YOUR. BUSINESS. Just saying!!

2. On another trip I was holding the babe. Yes - she was wearing a short sleeve onesie. Yes - she was wearing a thin pair of pants. Yes - she had only been on the planet for about five weeks. Keep in mind, though, that I had pulled her out of her carrier and had a blanket wrapped around her. A woman comes up to me in the milk aisle and comments on how beautiful the babe is. I thanked her graciously and the made another comment on her blue eyes (the babe does have the most mesmerizing blue eyes). Again, I thanked her. Then...out of NO. WHERE. she looks at me and says "that babe is far too young to be out of the house. Here is where my next note comes in...rearing of children today is NOT the same as it was when we were kids...so BACK. OFF!!!