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Thursday, October 25, 2007

Being Seen Through a Camera Lens

Do you ever wonder what the security personnel think of you when they're viewing you on a tape? Until I was parent, I never really did. Now that my kids have thrown countless tantrums in stores, I have performed a wide array of impromptu dance routines to keep them entertained in line, and I've alternated between opening each of my car doors several times in parking lots to retrieve a toy or give one of the kids one more kiss before we drive, I sometimes wonder. Today I'm past wondering. I know anyone watching the security tapes at the parking garage that I visited today, must think I am insane. The Big Giraffe would might agree that I am insane, but for different reasons!

My parents were in Boston for the day, so the boys and I met my parents at the New England Aquarium. We had a really wonderful time. In fact, I'm already planning my next visit with the Big Giraffe, who unfortunately who wasn't able to make it, and of course the boys. Hmm...maybe that shouldn't have been an "of course".

Afterwards, I did the parent in the parking garage dance of strapping kids in carseats, stowing the diaper bag, and putting the stroller in the trunk. Unfortunately, one of the sippy cups fell out and as luck would have it, rolled under the car parked next to mine.

At first I decided to just leave it. We rarely loose sippy cups. However, this one was one that a friend gave my younger son (YS) for his birthday. It was new and I really liked it. Plus I know that if I left it there, then it would have ultimately ended up in the trash. So I did the reasonable thing: I re-opened the trunk, grabbed my older son's (OS) duck umbrella (you know the kind that has the handle shaped like a duck head and pictures of ducks all over the plastic), got down on my hands and knees, and poked the sippy cup with the umbrella. Let's be clear: I was on the floor of the parking garage. Done right? Nope. As sippy cub grabbing devices go, an umbrella is far less precise then other options, such as a cane. Since I rarely lose sippy cups, my umbrelling motion was subpar, and I accidentally nudged the sippy cup the wrong way...into a position where I still couldn't reach it.

I walked around the parked car to get into a better position. I kneeled down, peered under the car, and after further poking with the umbrella, I was finally able to reach under the car and grab the sippy cup. Proud of my achievement, I stood up, held head high (although hopefully not facing any security camera) and strutted back to my car with dignity and grace.

A. Elliot's Lesson Learned: A cane is a more effective sippy cup grabbing device than a duck umbrella.

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posted by Alex Elliot @ 6:06 PM   6 comments
6 Comments:

  • At 10/25/2007 7:27 PM, Blogger Mrs. Chicky said…

    To the victor goes the sippy cup!

     

  • At 10/25/2007 8:43 PM, Blogger Heather said…

    Interesting thought. Thanks, now I'll be paranoid about those cameras!

    I would have done the same thing for less...okay, I have.

     

  • At 10/25/2007 8:43 PM, Blogger soccer mom in denial said…

    I know that parking garage. Hopefully you were on a high enough level that no one could see you from an adjacent building!

    I do love the Acquarium. We've gone with various family members.

     

  • At 10/25/2007 11:12 PM, Blogger Lady M said…

    I hope you found a different parking garage than we did. We paid $32 for our parking visit!

    Glad you got the cup back. :)

     

  • At 10/27/2007 11:00 PM, Blogger painted maypole said…

    Well, now you know to keep a cane in your car! ;)

     

  • At 10/29/2007 11:06 AM, Blogger Suzanne said…

    Thank goodness security didn't decide that you were messing with the car. Then again, if I were someone paid minimum wage with no benefits to provide security, I probably wouldn't bother to investigate a possibly deranged criminal such as yourself, either.

     
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Name:Alex Elliot
Home:MA, United States
About Me:Professional Mom of two cats, a dog, an ant farm, and oh yeah...two boys: a 6 year old and a 3 year old. Also found in my house is my husband who is known on this blog as The Big Giraffe.
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For those of us who didn't get an instruction manual with our babies and for whom parenting hasn't always gone as planned. On a more serious note this blog is about supporting a woman's ability to make her own choices about parenting including the choice, for whatever reason, to bottle feed her babies formula.

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