The next time it crossed my mind was on my most recent 2 and a half hour flight. You see St Paul and Thing 1 got up to pee twice each during the flight. We had not followed the no fluids prior to the flight rule, I guess, because I had to go wicked bad too. But did I go? No. Why not, you ask? Well its simple: I was holding a sleeping baby.
You know, the sleeping baby everyone evil eyed while we walked down the aisle to our seats. The baby that everyone prayed would sit very, very far away from them. The baby that looked too young to bribe with fruit snacks or promises of presents once we landed. That baby. And he was sleeping. We got on that plane, walked the four miles down that aisle with the tentative evil eyers and story tellers ("oh we flew once with my son at that age and never again, it was awful" -- really lady, gee thanks for that anecdote!) paying too much attention to us while some jackhole 50 people in front of us took forever to stow their carry-ons. Once we finally poured our four selves, three backpacks, camera bag and jackets into those impossibly snug, funny smelling three seats I immediately set to work. Got him as tired and hungry as possible and began feeding him so that he slept/ate through take off and beyond.
So while St Paul and Thing 1 got up for round two of the potty dance and my bladder was reaching the critical point, I looked down at the most angelic little sleeping baby in my arms and knew, just knew, that if I got up and handed Thing 2 off to St Paul there was a snowball's chance that he'd stay asleep. Between my own waning sanity and the silent prayers of those around us I figured my bladder would just have to hold it.
And that my friends is the definition of motherhood:
Motherhood is holding it when you really gotta go -- even though your children ruined your ability to hold it to begin with -- because if you just wait and keep that kiddo sleeping then your family won't be material for everyone else's gripes on the drive home from the airport.
"How was your flight?"
"Oh there was this baby ..."
No comments:
Post a Comment