I think I can

Didn't finish this until Monday, but I started it Saturday. And Julie, you inspired me to write about it, no matter how crazy I might sound...


Today is Saturday. It's two Saturdays before Adeleigh turns one. The New West Fest is going on in Old Town this weekend. Seven years I've lived here and not once have I gone to New West Fest. Almost one year I've been a Mom and not once have I gone to Old Town with the baby alone. Generally, I've always been one to avoid the crowds, even more so with a baby. When it comes to eating out at restaurants, our family is hangin' with all the 80-something-year-olds eating dinner at 4pm. Crowds mean more crazies, more things to watch out for, more time to wait. But today I took that chance. Alone. With the baby.
Yesterday, Phaeton reminded me that last year, riots broke out during the Earth, Wind and Fire concert at the festival. This morning, he reminded me again. "Just run!" He said. "If you see something happening in the crowd, just take the baby and run the other way." My nerves started taking over as I made the drive to the Mason Street parking garage and couldn't find a spot on the normally less-crowded first floor. I was crossing into unfamiliar territory - the second story of the parking garage. All kinds of scary things happen in parking garages...on the 2nd floor...in the middle of the day. What was I thinking?! I found a spot right by the elevator. But after getting the screaming baby all packed up in the stroller, I didn't take the elevator. Because all kinds of scary things happen in elevators of parking garages, right? I took the walkway, assuming that it would wind around and take me to the first floor. It did wind around, but it took me to a door of the Opera Galleria building instead. So here I am, approaching a door on a narrow walkway pushing a stroller and all I can think is, How am I going to maneuver this one - to gracefully open the door while pushing the stroller and make it through to the other side, alive? I remembered that time in Kindergarten, when the bathroom was all out of paper towels. I tried to turn the doorknob and my hand was too slippery so the knob wouldn't turn. I just stood there in the bathroom crying with wet hands until a teacher came in and opened the door so I made a mad dash outside. I hated that bathroom afterwards....
This moment reminded me of that time, only this one was not as wet, or tearful. But this time, a little boy walking with his family behind me ran ahead and held open the door for me. I guess I didn't need to be so scared after all. The walkway continued winding around and I saw the open stairwell to the right where the family all made their way. Further down the hall was the elevator. Guess I couldn't dodge this one.... Once I made it to the 1st floor, I found the exit and walked swiftly towards it while the boy waited for me and held the door again. Double thanks, little boy. The crowds started to appear on the streets. I headed south to cross Mountain Ave and stopped at the intersection. Everyone else was going. I looked up. The blue man on the street sign means I can walk now, right? Everyone else was, so I made the executive decision to walk. And I made it to the other side. Success!
Adeleigh and I met up with the ladies at Ingredient - Shay, Des, Amber, Val & Baby Brooke. Adeleigh and I weren't alone anymore! If I had to pee, there was someone there to keep an eye on Adeleigh. Someone I knew to open the door for us! We ate lunch, we ate frozen yogurt. We walked around the festival and people-watched. We walked around Old Town. It was a lot of fun! I saw other moms with strollers and admired them. They're probably used to this. They've probably done this thousands of times with their babies. I saw one lady holding a little baby, pushing a stroller that had another baby sleeping inside and crossing the street. She is amazing at multi-tasking!
I remember in the weeks after Adeleigh was born going to Sam's Club with Phaeton and our week-old baby. We saw a Mom (sans husband), dressed in a nice outfit, pushing the bigger-than-normal Sam's Club cart with 2 of her kids sitting in the bed of the cart, 1 younger kid facing out towards her, legs dangling, all while holding a newborn baby that was wrapped in the all-so-familiar hospital blanket. It must come more naturally the more babies you have - to just give birth, put on a skirt, pack up the family and go shopping all in one day. That'd be an eventful day! And so was today.
I was driving home with a sleeping baby, and all I could think was, I can do this. I did it. I made it okay with the baby. And I got out of the house. And I had a much needed day with the ladies. And there were no riots. So I think I can do it again - next year :)