I spent a couple of hours today helping one of my closest friends register at Babies 'R' Us. That's a huge move up on the maturity ladder if you ask me. I was glad that I could be of assistance to her, because I know that she is bound to have so much craziness going on in life and the thought process of planning and preparing has to be absolutely overwhelming. So, I became aware today, through that, that I was so much like Ashley. I thought about neccessity first. Frills and thrills second. I made my friend Google and print out lists: Top 10 Things A New Mother Must Have; The Basic List For Your First Baby Shower; A Guide To Registering For Your First Baby Shower, etc. It really hit home when we found ourselves completely endulged in baby world. When we pulled up to Babies 'R' Us and she swung her SUV into the 'Mommies To Be' spot, I swallowed it for the first time. I was beginning to get the baby taste in my mouth by just thinking about all the fun we are going to have planning, prepping, and delivering this bundle of joy, but I don't know if it really set in enough to actually swallow until I saw her take advantage of that closer parking space and instantly took on the title of 'Mommy To Be'. When we got inside, I apparently switched into Ashley-mode. And for Baily, the Ashley-mode was on full blast.
My friend filled out the proper paperwork while I grabbed a highlighter and began highlighting the neccesities. I grabbed brochures, coupon booklets, and organizational helpers: lists, information, helpful hints, etc. I asked the lady if she had a checklist for my friend, then I asked for her name again - in case we needed opinion or help with something. As far as I know, this is our first friend-baby and none of us have ever been the Mommy To Be before. The lady looked at my friend and goes, 'geez, I think your friend over there has done this a time or two before.' I haven't. But I definitely watched my sister plan and pull off one of the most beautiful and detailed weddings I've ever attended. All on her own, with the help of good friends. Since I was one of those 'good friends' and 'helpers' I figured I might as well be my sister about it and be the one with the permanently attached folder of notes, lists, and to-do's that have been jotted down. The list was pretty long - there are A LOT of things you just do not think about when you think of a baby being born. Well, maybe you do, but when you are our age and the plan was always to wait a little longer before having a baby but 'life' planned it a little early, you are pretty much blindsided with all the responsibilities that await you. But, with the handy-dandy folder and checklist, we made it happen today. If I was able to handle the highlighting, crossing-out, and checking-off of the list, I have confidence that when my day comes to register for a wedding and baby registry, the insanely organized lady that I channeled thru my inner-Ashley will take good care of me and I will be in good hands.
The due date is February 11th but she has been told by her ob/gyn that there is a good chance that the baby could arrive early! I think she is so so grateful that she will not have to deal with a first pregnancy in the brutally hot summer months in Alabama. She is 20 weeks along and is ready for the Fall season to come in full-force and cool some of the lingering summer heat. I think she is was also grateful that we were able to start her registry at Babies 'R' Us now so that when the hustle and bustle of the holiday season arrives, she won't have to go into all-out freak-out mode.
It was really nice to be a help to a special friend like that. I know that my friends would do the same for any one in our very eclectic and diverse mix of friends. A couple of us are planning her baby shower and are most excited about being able to help and make this time in her life as special as it possibly can be! And having a baby with your one true love is pretty special!!! She found out she is having a little girl, and her and her boyfriend both are so excited about that news. I think the pink, lace, and little girly things are getting her more excited and you can see the glow of good anxiety in her face. She's well aware that she is our trial-and-error friend but she is one of the most brilliant-minded and socially well people I have ever met in my entire life... there is no doubt that she will do an excellent job being a 'Mommy' to a precious baby girl.
I have had a good little boost of confidance throughout this whole ordeal, since learning of her pregnancy many weeks ago. Since I have a few prenatal development and infant, toddler, preschool age development classes under my belt, I have found a settling assurance that I am very passionate about my studies in human/child development and family studies theories. I have the ability to help people, and at the same time, apply that knowledge I learned in the classroom or by slaving hours and hours in the infant classrooms, toddler classrooms, and preschool centers. But besides the serious stuff, who doesn't like 'ooh-ing and aah-ing' over teeny tiny baby things? Come on, I think I've even seen my macho Dad get a little tickle out of a tiny baby-version Sperry Docksider. Speaking of, I'm all in favor of this little Alabama sorostitute baby being completely decked out, head-to-toe, in Southern cuteness!
It was an exciting start to my day for sure. I'm glad I got to go visit with friends. There was a reunion of solid, genuine friends last night. One drove in from Huntsville, one (I) drove from Tuscaloosa, one drove in from Memphis, one already lives in Birmingham, and the 'Mommy To Be' is in Birmingham now after relocating from Tuscaloosa a couple of months ago. It meant a lot for us all to be together and I was glad that I could show this friend just how much she means to me.
I guess I am also just like my Sissy in the way that I have always strived to be a good friend to people and to go out of my way to help out in any sort of time of need. Ashley has always been a gem of a friend and even as a sister she is the best kind of friend I could ever ask for. Sometimes I say she is bossy or she tries to 'mother me' too much, but that is just typical lingo for the youngest sibling, is it not? She's bossy - but we're women, at some point we have to just man-handle the men when it comes to organizing and planning. She can, in fact, be kinda anal and organizationally she is a perfectionist, but a lot would not be planned or been taken care of, without her around. Excuse me, without her and her portable file-cabinet. So, I took the reigns with the semi-Ashleyish organizational attempt and I think between the 'Mommy To Be' and three helping aides, I'd say we got a lot done and put a major dent in the long list of pregnancy to-dos. I'd be lying if I said we didn't get a little laxidasical at the end when everyone's blood sugar was getting low and it was feeding time. But we figured that was a lot of baby stuff for one day, and they were SO not kidding when they named that gigantic store Babies 'R' Us. I couldn't quite comprehend the thought of anything else baby-related even existing in the consumer marketplace if it wasn't part of the wall-to-wall fully-packed shelves of that superstore. I was a little taken aback. I will be very well-prepared to be the notetaker and checklist controller when it comes time to be crazy Aunt Baily and take Mrs. Organized to do the same thing. I'm actually quite excited about it now!!!
peace and love
baily
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