Entourage

As a stay at home mom, my children go EVERYWHERE with me. My own private posse. This is why I am a stay at home mom - to spend time with my children - but when Kelan and/or Lauren are having an "off" day (or the day turns into something more than we bargained for) my outing can be quite challenging.

Kelan and Lauren have become "regulars" at my chiropractor's office and I have even managed to get rolfed with Lauren (who was an infant at the time) sitting on my lap. Grocery shopping has now become so second nature with both kids, that I can get in and out of the store (with the stuff I need) in under an hour. The key is to lock Kelan into the cart's baby seat and put Lauren in the basket with the groceries. I imagine this will work for not too much longer - she's now standing in the cart waving at the other customers. They have gone to my OB/GYN appointments, the dentist, my regular doctor, clothes shopping (trying on clothes IS a challenge), you name it - we've done it together.

This morning I went to the gym, with the kids in tow, to swim. They do have childcare there, so I don't have to take them in the pool with me, however they do make the trip downtown. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I swim for a half hour and then quickly shower and retrieve the kids (all done in an hour - needless to say I'm leaving the gym not looking quite the way I would like).

I started swimming two days a week as part of my training for the Danskin Triathlon in August, but this hour has turned into something more important to me. It is so incredibly ... MINE. My head is in the water for a half hour, so I don't hear too much except splashing. I can think about the day's activities, process my thoughts, or just count laps. It doesn't matter. I hear no crying and I am not responsible for diapers, food, runny noses, or conflict disputes.

There's usually not too many people there late morning - however one day every lane was occupied when someone came into the pool area to swim. I was just waiting for him to ask me to share my lane and I was actually planning on telling him no. I was going to explain to him that this was my ONLY half hour to myself in the whole day and since I can't go to the bathroom by myself, I felt I did not have to share my lane. He did not ask. My mommy selfishness/rudeness averted.

Yesterday I actually went to the grocery store by myself (my husband was home sick and stayed with the kids while I shopped). I got to use one of those new "fancy" carts - you know, the double decker one that no mom with kids can use. It was uplifting. I zipped around the store with so much ease that I was forgetting some items on my list. I realized this and said, "we forgot the oatmeal!" I would like to say that I said this to myself, but that is not the case. I said it out loud for any shopper to hear. I started to laugh at myself further proving that I was the crazy lady in the store.

Even though I need some private time during the day, I guess I need my entourage to make me look a little bit less crazy - or at least to be the visible reason as to why I am.