Parenthood has sort of forced me to be a nice and friendly person, which is certainly not my regular personality baseline. I don’t think I’m mean, but I just tend to leave people alone, because I generally like to be left alone. I guess most people aren’t like this, because when I’m out with LG, we get a lot of people saying hi to us and while LG continues to be skeptical of everyone (that’s my girl!) I do try to teach her nice manners. Like, reciprocating when someone waves hello, things like that. Basically, I would prefer not to raise an asshole (such as myself.)
Unrelated, I was recently thinking about how being out and about with LG makes me feel safer. Take, for example, my runs around the neighborhood. The other day I got up early and ran in the dark-ish and I literally thought for the first mile or so that I was being followed. (I was not being followed.) I spent pretty much the whole run with my hand on my phone, silently cursing myself for not wearing a hat to cover my ponytail. (I did run very fast that morning, so at least there’s that.)
Now, when I go out running with LG, I do not fear for my life at all. Granted, I don’t take her out for runs at 6am, but still. There is something about pushing a stroller that just makes me feel safe. Like, nobody would mess with a lady with a baby! And if they did, I have zero doubt in my mind that I would seriously fuck that person up. I said I’m not a mean person, but even thinking about someone messing with my baby makes me see red and so if we ever find ourselves in a situation that requires me to kick some ass in order to save the little lady in the stroller, well, I will kick some ass.
I don’t think that’s a unique thought about your child (or any loved one), but just interesting to me how the presence of a baby can have me go from OMG IS SOMEONE FOLLOWING MEEEEEE I’M GOING TO DIE to I DARE YOU TO MESS WITH ME, FUCKER.
Regardless, I think I’ll teach LG some roundhouse kicks, in addition to nice manners.
I’m thinking of LG doing round house kicks in her purple jeggins and the image of that has just turned this entire day around. 🙂
Also, I’m now about to compare your parenting anecdote to something I have experienced with my dog and I just want to say OUT LOUD that I do not consider having a dog the same as having a child. For the record.
Ahem. Anyway.
Before we got Buster I was pretty skittish about noises outside my house at night, (most definitely because I’ve watched too many episodes of Criminal Minds and am always sure some sort of Home Invasion is about to occur — the mystery of which, only SUPER HOT Shemar Moore could solve. But that is neither here nor there.)
But now, if it’s the middle of the night and my dog needs to go outside, I just throw my hoodie on and walk outside like “HEY MURDERERS, COME AT ME BRO! I WILL FIGHT YOU HALF ASLEEP IF I HAVE TO BECAUSE MY DOG HAS TO TAKE A PISS.”
I don’t know. It’s a strange confidence you develop when you are the protector of something else, I think. Also, I wish Buster could do round house kicks too.