The Baby Cave

You may remember that about 2 weeks ago I got out of the house to see "Sex and The City" and then later that same week, I met a couple of old friends (old as in that I knew them a long time ago, not old like in age, cuz remember I am only 22) for dinner & drinks. I was thinking at the time how strange it was that I got out of the house child-less 2 times in ONE WEEK. Amazing. Granted, the dinner out was a surprise. I hadn't seen this one friend, Karen (shout out!), since about 1990. 18 years. We became friends in the 7th grade but somehow when college hit we just drifted apart, no falling out or anything, just a drift away that seems to happen sometimes. Anyway, we had a great time catching up and I don't care if you believe me, we both decided that we looked exactly the same as the last time we saw each other. Seriously, it's amazing how much we didn't age!

But I digress. I realized that in the extraordinary act of going out twice in one week that I am finally almost all of the way out of the baby cave. One of my friends, Kelly I believe, compared perfectly the life of having babies and young children as being stuck in a dark cave. You are there, in your cave with babies and toddlers and you don't know what's going on in the world and sometimes you wear your pajamas all day long and maybe take a shower when you have time and remember. Sure, husbands or partners are in that cave too, but they come in and out at will and they have this special key that lets them leave. But most mothers, they are there all the time. Sometimes for years on end. But then one day you wake with a start and realize that you actually watched the news last night and you are out in the world a lot more with actual adults. You no longer spend 99% of your time sitting on the floor while your comfy couch sits 2 inches away. You are on the couch! You are in your car alone! You are showered!

After my fabulous friend Suzy had her twin baby girls (along with having a 2 year old at home) she was so deep into that cave that not even a shaft of light could get in. Not a speck. She was so deep that if you yelled into it at her you would hear your echo. Now that the kids are almost 5 and 3, she's got her feet out of the cave. Hell, I think I see her whole legs sticking out. As for Kelly, she was so far out of the cave that the cave itself was a dot behind her. Then of course she had a baby and where is she now you ask? In the cave I would assume. I haven't heard much from her.