Smoking around kids

This is going to sound judgmental, because it is.
The baby boy, Dexter, and I just returned from a mental health stroll to the park. I threw the ball for Dexter and let Kincaid swing and be happy. He's been so fussy recovering from his stomach virus.

Anyway, as we approached the park, I saw a woman ( I won't assume she was the mother) smoking while pushing a baby in a stroller. Now, I don't live in a cave, and realize that mothers still smoke. I understand that nicotine is more addictive than I'll ever know, and I know most people who smoke desire to quit. I just have a hard time understanding why anyone would smoke around a baby, knowing what we know today. As a new mama, I know it's difficult, if not impossible, to get a few moments outside for a smoke (if I needed such moments). I don't think the answer is smoking with your baby. It may be difficult for me to be able to do the dishes with Kincaid fussing, so I might put him in a sling or the Ergo to help calm him down and still be able to get things done. I'm not sure this team effort applies to smoking. I don't know this woman's situation, and perhaps today it was all she could do not to throw the stroller, baby and all, across the state, and a cigarette on a walk stood between her and her sanity. But I still find it hard to believe.

We once ended up spending an evening outdoors, downtown, with a couple and their baby. They both smoke. I felt like a prude trying to keep our baby away from the smoke. Yes, my own father smoked until I was around five, but I still think we knew less about the effects of smoking on kids in 1986. I don't want to seem like an overprotective parent, because I don't think I am, but I do want to keep him away from what are known health risks and dangers. If you smoke near your kid, so be it, but don't smoke near mine.

It's been entirely too long since I've posted, but it isn't for lack of happenings. I have plenty of videos on YouTube under "oldberry" to show that we've been up to things. This motherhood business ain't easy. For the past week and a half, we've been dealing with a vomiting baby boy (and boyfriend for a day or so), followed by diarrhea, which we're still dealing with. Handling all these blowouts makes me want to start potty training now. There is something dehumanizing about pooping on yourself, even if it is cleaned up rather quickly. Hopefully once Kincaid can walk and communicate a bit better, he will agree with me, and want to learn how to use a toilet.

I am on an organizing kick this week. I feel as if my nesting instinct is about nine months late, or maybe I just now finally (kind of) have the energy to care that this place is a wreck. It's the result of two households hastily mashed together when half of the couple (me) was on bed rest and said, "just put it wherever, I'll deal with it later." Well, that has resulted in piles and general mayhem. Add all the baby gear and you've got a decent mess. I took a trip to the dollar store to get some cheap plastic baskets, got a lazy susan a-la Mrs. Webster for the kitchen, and some other containers and baskets. I went through the bookshelf and finally picked out some books I don't need to have around. Yes, I might teach middle school English again, but at that time I can get copies of those young adult novels I've held onto. And yes, I might want the Norton Critical Edition of The Heart of Darkness someday, but I can check it out from the library if so. I kept my marked-up Huck Finn, as it's invaluable and falling apart, I kept things that make me look smart if they're on my bookshelf, and I kept books I see myself reading to Kincaid someday. We also have a few fly fishing books....


I organized the books by color, which is weird, I know, but I saw it in Real Simple and thought it looked more put-together. Most of my books are either black, white, yellow, blue, red, or green. Good to know, I suppose.


My job is still going fairly well. I am on my third round of teaching the same course, and it gets much easier each time. After this month, though, this course will no longer be offered, and a new one is rolling out. I'm approved to teach it, but haven't been asked yet. Here's hoping I'll still have work. We desperately need it!

Speaking of, I should get some done while the boy is napping in his newly resurrected swing. He hated it for awhile and decided he liked it again sometime last week, so now it's the only place (besides the Ergo) where he'll nap in the afternoons. Whatever works. Sorry for the terribly boring post; I'm not quite at 100% myself.