Miniature Disasters

Sometimes people ask us if Maggie ever cries. Of course, the answer is yes. She just has her "public face" and her "private face," and tends to be happier in social situations. When nap time is approaching (or has already come and gone), the crying tends to emerge. I'd like to share one such example that happened yesterday, and centers around the discount stroller we purchased at WalMart during our first few days here (only $12!).

Yesterday Maggie and I drove up to the hospital to visit Eric during his lunch break. It was getting close to nap time, but not yet there. She charmed the staff, we visited, all was well. The plan was to take the stroller and walk back home, just over a mile, so we wouldn't have to pick Eric up at the end of his workday, and we could get some fresh air and exercise. By the time we left the hospital, it was 20 minutes past Maggie's nap time. Foreshadowing.

There is, I'm sure, a reason our stroller was so cheap. About 2-3 weeks ago, one of the back wheels fell off. There's a pin that attaches it to the frame of the stroller, and it looks like the endcap keeping the pin in place fell off and was never seen again. I was able to slide the pin back in, and usually it would stay in place for a week before the wheel would fall off again. Well, it fell off on the way home from church Sunday, so I figured we were good for another week or so once I fixed it. Just laying out the pieces of the puzzle for the background here. You know, the perfect storm.

Approximately 0.2 miles into our walk home, the back wheel fell off. Dang it. Couldn't fix it without taking Maggie out of her stroller and sitting her on the ground, so...just kept wheeling her by lifting up the handle of the stroller so the frame didn't drag on the ground. Carried wheel in right hand. Approximately 0.4 miles into our walk home, Maggie started crying. Was somewhat consolable as long as I kept singing her favorite song, "Do, a Deer." Hard to do while walking uphill at 6500 feet. Approximately 0.6 miles into our walk home, the song was no longer cutting it and Maggie was full out wailing. Got her out of the stroller, which helped. Found I could not push a 3 wheeled strolled while carrying an 18 pound infant. Collapsed the stroller. Held it in right hand while carrying Maggie in left arm. Kept walking. Maggie began intermittently wailing and arching her back, making her difficult to hold with one arm. Approximately 0.8 miles into our walk, decided to ditch the stroller in lieu of dropping screaming infant. Hung it up over a railing in the parking lot of the church we've been attending. Readjusted screaming infant, which calmed her down. Walked remaining 0.2 miles home. Calmed her down over 10-15 minutes by rocking her and singing "I Am Jesus' Little Lamb" (her favorite naptime song) approximately 20 times. She went to sleep. I had to laugh at the absurdness of it all.

Eric went to pick up the stroller on his way home and it was gone. Also checked the dumpster. Gone. At least I had removed the toys from it. We were only going to use it through Friday and then ditch in anyways. Hopefully someone puts it to good use. Or throws it away.