Today Charlie had a kidney ultrasound (he had fluid built up on one of his kidneys since birth and we're just making sure it's going away on its own.) Incidentally, the ultrasound was at Children's Hospital, which is also where my office is. We took a side trip to see my coworkers, who flocked around him like a celebrity.
He was passed around from desk to desk until I finally snatched him up to head to the mall. At the mall, everyone held doors open for us. Strangers cooed. Grandmothers played with his feet. The Caribou barista summoned her coworker away from the espresso machine to "come see little Charlie." Everywhere we went, Charlie got adoring looks and special treatment. I was like his apprentice, pushing him around in the reclining comfort of his gargantuan Graco stroller. I'm surprised he didn't outright ask me to fan him and feed him grapes off a vine.
We don't get this kind of attention when I'm out with both of the boys. Maybe I give off a cranky-overtired mom vibe, rendering us unapproachable. Maybe nobody notices Charlie because their attention is on Oliver, who is talking, jumping, asking, poking, singing, yelling, whining, running. But today, I was a mother at ease. How, I wondered, was I ever overwhelmed with just one? Because today, when I was about to take Charlie to watch fish at the zoo and selfishly decided to window shop at the mall instead because it was easier and more enjoyable for me, he didn't try to talk me out of it. He was happy to be dragged around retail mecca. It was a wonderful thing. I had forgotten how nice it was to blubber over my smiley baby with total strangers, taking his chubby fists and waving them at salespeople to say hi. It was obnoxious, and it was wonderful.
Thanks for a great day, Charlie. You really are a cool kid.
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