Mother Of Five Parking

We all have our own little annoyances in life and one of mine is Babies "R" Us. Now, like most women pregnant with my first child, I couldn't wait to go to this giant box store. I saw the expectant mother parking and thought how cute. I gladly paid the money for the over priced items that I bought. I thought, "What a blessing to have a store that caters to women like me". That's right, "Women Like Me." Women who are so caught up in the hype of having a baby that they forget that $200 for a comforter set (that your baby will only use for a few months) is crazy. Come on, we all can admit we were like this with the 1st one, but then we wise up with baby number two, discover Target and are much happier. Now the only time you can find us educated women in Babies "R" Us is when we are shopping the registries of our first time mother friends.

Now 1st time mom's don't feel bad, we know why you registered there. We did too, but when the invitation for your shower arrives with the Babies "R" Us logo on the register card I groan. I load up my 5 kids into the van and off we head to the only location which is all the way across town. We get there and though I don't look it (still holding onto those last few pounds) I am not expecting, so I park clear at the end of the parking lot, far away from all of the Expecting Mother parking spots. As I jump out and run to the front of the parking lot for a cart (there are never any close), I notice a size 4 girl climbing out of her compact SUV (you know the kind just to look good) with her mother laughing. She is obviously on her first trip, and is parked in the Expecting Mother parking spots. I quickly run back to my children who are starting to fall out of the van and start loading them up. One in the front, one in the large compartment, one holding on in front (give me a break, I have to put them somewhere!) and two walking hopefully holding on to the sides.

By the time we are inside I am already tired. I look around and see the register machine. I find the registry that I am looking for and it begins to print. Page after page comes out while I say there is no way I am paying that much for a bottle, bib, car seat, mobile, boppie, etc. By this point my kids are feeling tired. The littlest has squirmed her way out of the once fastened seat belt, the three year old is standing up in the basket, the one on the end has let go and walked over to the cashiers and with her two older siblings is proceeding to pull everything off the display. I see it is time to go, but I don't have a gift yet and the isles aren't wide enough for me to turn around with all of my children. I gather them together and say, "Listen, I need your help. Who wants to help me pick a cute gift card?" Of course they all do, so we head back to the front of the store and around to the one open cashier who also luckily has gift cards right there. The kids excitedly begin to pull off their favorites, while I also look to see which one I like. We come to a decision just as I notice the line of unhappy expecting mothers behind me. They are looking at me with that “Why don't you keep your children under control” look. (I know this look; I gave it myself a few times.) I send them an "Oh well, you'll understand some day" look, and then move to check out. As the kids and I are hiking to our van, I catch a look at the several empty Expecting Mother parking spots and grumble unhappily to myself. At least I'm getting exercise. I load all the kids and say to myself someday someone will think of Mother of Five parking.