The Mommy/Daddy Shuffle

 When my husband and I were first married we didn't have any children.We were free walkers. We would get up in the night and walk through our house without a care in the world. Walking like all "normal" people do picking up one foot putting in front of the other. Yes, carefree walking, even in the dark. We had been married 5 years, when we had our son. We knew life would change, but little did we know. We would soon find out, we would never walk the same again. 

 I believe our little guy was about 10 months old when it first happened. Before children we would stay up late to talk, or watch a movie. After having our son, things changed. Staying up meant late night feedings, washing bottles or the breast pump.Life consists of just trying to get as much done after baby sleeps as possible before falling into bed completely exhausted. 

 Then it happened. The baby was asleep in his bed, my husband was asleep,and I was still up trying to get some last things finished before crashing. I had turned out the last light, and was walking down our hallway. I stepped on a toy. It hurt. I grimaced in pain, and to my complete disbelief. Lights started flashing, music was blaring, and beneath my foot something was vibrating. Complete and total horror at what was occurring under my now throbbing foot. In my head I was Cursing the aunt or grandparent who had purchased such a gruesome toy, while at the same time Praying with everything within me that the baby would somehow sleep through this. Unfortunately my friend. The answer is no. Our son instantly woke up with a scream of terror. I walk, no limped, slowly to his room and pick him up out of his bed to rock him back to sleep. All the while, vowing to Never no never walk like a "normal" human being again.

From now until death, I will do the Mommy shuffle. (the act of sliding one's feet slowly out in front to feel for random toy cars or dolls or God forbid noisemakers!)  Do you do the Mommy/Daddy shuffle?