You know you do it too...right?

I was happily pushing my cart through the supermarket when it hit me, I was alone. Blissfully, unhurriedly alone. And suddenly grocery shopping was like... a respite, for lack of a better word. No one was demanding a fresh sippy cup, or needing a diaper change. It was just me and the shopping cart and 35 aisles of food and sundries. 

My sister-in-law is a baker, she makes cupcakes and lots of them. It's a delicious way to live, but not so good for my waistline. She needed some more supplies, and with a baby I always need something, so I volunteered to go. Volunteered to go to the grocery store. Once there I was surprised at how happy I was to do anything, even grocery shopping all alone. Now don't get me wrong, I'm obsessed with my kid. About 20 minutes after he goes to bed I miss him terribly, but this...this was different. I shopped leisurely, taking my time comparing products, and perhaps spending a little more time than necessary in the skin care and make up aisle.

I may have checked Twitter on my phone but I'm not admitting anything.

When did I cross that line? Can someone tell me, please? Suddenly hitting the store was a good time. Did I mention that I was blissfully alone??  If I had been at a Target with a Starbucks in it I would have recruited a random stranger to pinch me to make sure I wasn't dreaming!

I haven't lived here in the D.C. Metro area very long and as a result I don't know that many people. As I am a very social kinda gal, I frequently find myself longing for home and being surrounded by the girlfriends that I spent years making there. I have been lucky to make a few friends here and while they may be small in number they are mighty in support and humor. Most of them are women that my husband went to high school with (read - dated at some point). I'm just lucky he knew a cool chick when he was 15 and managed to not break the heart of a one of 'em, breaking up with them all amicably during the teen years dating free for all. Well done, honey!

I had just finished sneaking some chocolate chips into my cart for my own selfish snacking purposes and was setting about getting the largest bag of flour I could find when I heard my name. How lovely, suddenly grocery shopping time becomes girlfriend chatting time! My friend approached me, 6 months pregnant and smack in the middle of the glowing period. We hugged and began chatting, her hand resting gently on her baby bump. I envied that. I've blinked and suddenly my baby is a boy. It goes too fast.

As we gabbed away I realized what I was doing. Standing in aisle 15 I was swaying side to side, rocking my ten pound bag of flour. That flour would have been fast asleep and making those sweet little smacking noises, I mean if it was a baby, which it wasn't. It was a bag of flour. One that I was rocking to sleep apparently! 

Must stop that immediately.

Since then I've noticed that I do this on the regular. I recently calmed a bag of kitty litter and while doing the laundry the other day, my mother called and I proceeded to chat with her for about 20 minutes while balancing a bundle of bath towels on my hip and gently rocking them side to side. I hope they felt rested and ready to face the washer after that. 

 My friend and I continued chatting for a while, about her due date and how she was feeling etc., when she finally asked me "are you okay? You're swaying." 

Busted! Dangit, I was doing it again. 

I just smiled at her and said "it's the Mommy Sway, you'll find out." 

This is an original DC Metro Moms post. When Minky (Stephanie) isn't rocking baking goods to sleep she blogs about her son's fear of condiments and how she's not smart enough for performance art at Dial M for Minky and Twitters away at MinkyMoo.