When Taking the Metro, It is Best To Bring A Baby.

I took Alex to a Smithsonian last Thursday. While trying to find a seat in an already crowded metro car, a thought came to me. People treat you differently when you have a baby. I say this because as I walked into the crowded car three different men, saw me with Alex, and then offered me their seat. I accepted their offers.

As we take our morning and afternoon walks, I mentally prepare myself for all of the greetings I am sure to have. If I were walking by myself and pasted someone on the street, there would be a quick glance followed by a mumbled greeting. When I am walking with Alex, a person looks at Alex, and then smiles. Finally they look at me with a full clear greeting that I am obliged to answer. They either go back to Alex, or ask me questions about Alex.

I once thought it was amazing that mothers knew exactly how old their baby were. Now I understand. It can be exhausting, but I am not complaining. Their are definite advantages to having a baby on your hip, besides the previously mentioned metro seat.

People are more accepting of your stupid mistakes, or if you don't know how to do something. Its like they think to themselves, "Oh, that's okay. She has a baby, and that can be hard. We'll excuse her this once." Maybe it is just the cuteness of Alex that distracts them from my imperfections.

Whatever it is, I'm grateful for it. I'm not ashamed to tell you that I took Alex to the bank. It wasn't because it was a convenient time; no, I was using him as a shield. Let me tell you, it worked. That banking trip was short and painless. I'm planning on using him again.

I'll leave you with another metro thought. When I was trying to get on to a car, but was in the back of the huge cluster of people waiting to get on, I was frustrated because I thought I'd have to wait for the next train. Suddenly the crowds parted simply to let me on. I knew then why the Red Seas parted for the Israelites. It wasn't because Moses commanded it. It was because the Red Sea saw that there were some mothers with babies that needed to get through, and thought it would oblige them. Moses just came along for the ride.

I Saw the Light!

If I were to describe last week in one word it would be "really really HARD." I was actually really impressed with the cosmic forces' creativity, but I was still confused as to why they had set themselves against me.

Everyday presented a new problem or stress, and I was not happy about it. The worst stress came from my beautiful little car. It had failed me, or at least the lights failed me. Tuesday I was very cranky as I drove home at dusk. By the time I got home, it was dark outside. I pulled into my spot and turned off my lights. Click. Hmm. I didn't really notice a difference. I turned them on again. Clack. Nothing. Click. Clack. Click. Clack. There was no light coming from my headlights.

Great. That is just perfect. I thought as I walked into my apartment. I knew that this was not something I could turn a blind eye to. The fact was without my lights, I really would be blind.

Wednesday I loaded Alex into the car and took him to Jiffylube. "Nope," they told me, "it isn't the bulb. We can't do anything about it." I packed Alex back into the car and drove to Sears. "What are you talking about?" they questioned. "The lights work fine." "So, it isn't the switch or anything?" "You see the lights don't you?" "Well...yes."

I felt incredibly stupid, but I was very pleased that my lights were miraculously fixed at no cost to me. No such luck. Alex's parents got home late that night and I practically flew to my car. Click. There was no light. I wanted to cry. Natalia just called her bishop's wife to take me home. I had to take the bus in the morning to get back.

Now to put this in perspective. I have only ever been on a school bus before, and that was in the suburb of Columbia. Now I was supposed to ride public transportation, around the outskirts of D.C. by myself. I was terrified

I didn't sleep well that night. I had nightmares about riding the bus. My mind tried to work out a way to avoid taking the bus, but my plans were all thwarted by not having a car at my current location.

Thursday I woke up and took the bus... I don't want to talk about it... I will say this however. There should be more advertising when a small bus strike is going on.

I finally got there two hours late. Then I took the car to a garage that the bishop's wife had recommended. It was luckily less then a mile down the rode, and three hours later I was picking up my new and improved car.

All that was left was to pay the bill. $200. I took the shock really well, but Alex started crying. That might have been because I kind of squeezed him. Oops.

As I got in my car Thursday night I nervous. I didn't know what I would find. I buckled, turned the car on, and did just about everything I could think of to avoid the inevitable moment of truth.

I flipped the new switch, and I saw a light directly in front of me, above the brightness of any other headlights I had ever seen. It's glory defy all description. It was beautiful.

For the first time that week I drove home happy.

I'm A Big Kid Now?

Wow, I have a blog. I feel a little uncomfortable in this new territory, but I most admit I have a blog. How do I start? I guess I'll introduce myself.

My name is Tressa Lee Allred. If you are reading this you probably already know all of this information, but indulge me. I love a good introduction. I am eighteen, and have very recently been kicked out of high school. When I say kicked out, I mean I grabbed my diploma and then went running and screaming. I'm going to BYU-I in January, and I am so excited. I am a little worried about the lack of sweaters in my wardrobe, but that is another story.

To pass the months anyway until I go away to college, I have got a job. I am a nanny. Yes, a glorified babysitter. I look after an 11 month little boy. The family lives in Alexandria Virginia which means I now live in Alexandria Virginia.

I'm feeling very grown up right now. I've got a job, that I got all by myself. I am living in an apartment that I found all by myself. I have a check book for Pete's sake! For the past month I've had the "I'm a big kid now!" jingle running through my head.

Well, to clarify this grown up feeling, I don't actually feel grown up. I just feel like I'm doing a very good job at pretending to be grown up. I internally laugh when ever I heard someone say I am so old now, because if this is what it feels like to be an adult, somebody goofed.

I thought grown ups were supposed to know everything. This grand knowledge was just supposed to come to them. Did I miss the memo, because for all of my pretending, I do not have the eternal knowledge that grown ups are supposed to have.

I don't know what that flashing light in my car means. I can't distinguish between stalactite and stalagmite. And I'm still terrified to go inside a bank.

If this is how all adults feel than, I guess I didn't know that the world is being run by a bunch of little kids in really big bodies. I really do think someone goofed.

Once again that jingle runs through my head, "I'm a big kid now!"

Really?