Babies and Balloons

I'm having a boy!!! Kevin and I went to the ultrasound, and besides impressing the technician with our vast array of knowledge from our one day of MRI class (using terminology such as "axial cut" and "frequency"), we got to see our little boy!

And suddenly it became a lot more real. Oh, we've been having discussions about kids and how we'll raise them and whatnot (poor little guy . . . it's already been predetermined that whatever he wants to do in life, he'll have to major in engineering first), but now there's a  . . . body to put with all those ideals and discussions.

Am I ready? Of course not. Will I ever be ready? Doubt it. But at least today, I learned that there's one aspect of motherhood/domesticity that I'm improving on -- looking for bargains.

After we found out, we went to Macey's to pick up a blue balloon. On the way in, we also remembered that we needed to pick up some mayonnaise. As we were coming through the doors I saw a little girl walking out with a pink balloon. Then I saw balloons tied to all the cash registers. Something clicked in my mind.

"Kevin," I said excitedly. "I bet if we asked, we could get a balloon for free."
"No, just go over to the back corner to buy a balloon," he responded.

"No, let's get the mayonnaise first and then go through the line and ask if we can have one of them."

He rolled his eyes but walked over to the condiments aisle. He continued to protest, saying things like, "How are you going to ask for one?" or "I'm pretty sure those are just for little kids," to which I responded, "There's a little little kid inside me, so that counts." We picked up the mayonnaise and then got in a line.

"What are these balloons up for?" I asked eagerly, noticing a little boy walking away with a blue balloon.

"Oh, just for fun. Do you want one?" the cashier asked (perhaps she had heard my conversation with Kevin at the front of the store). I nodded happily. After explaining that I wanted a blue balloon and not an orange balloon (and telling her why), we left with one small bottle of mayonnaise and one free blue balloon.

"Cheapskate," Kevin muttered.

"Brilliant," I corrected him.

So, despite all my fears and inadequacies, at least I know how to get free balloons.