Street Fest Parents

Brian and I worked as volunteer bartenders this past Saturday at a German heritage festival in our old neighborhood. Now that we're expecting our own child, I find myself noticing couples with babies out in public. And then I find myself judging them.

First I saw what was maybe a two month old, out in the sun with no hat on, his bald head and crinkled face exposed and squinting. I wanted to take him from his mom's shoulder and run under the festival tent to the safety of shade.

Then I saw what looked like a caravan of babies in strollers, travel systems and car seats (one infant had been set on the sidewalk in hers), their parents socializing and drinking their steins of imported beer, occasionally rocking them or looking down to make sure their baby wasn't the one that was crying (it was hard to tell over the live music coming from the stage 30 feet away). They were situated, strategically or not, directly behind the porta potties. I suppose it would be more disgusting if they were in front of them, right?

As they day went on, and the nearby Cubs game ended, the festival got more crowded. But the parents and their babies all stayed, continuing to drink in the sun. I assume they went home after 7, the time of my last trip to the bathrooms.

I hope we can be one of those families who isn't tethered to their house just because there's some extra equipment and a small person to bring along. I hope we still get out and enjoy the city. But, I don't know, is a festival whose main attraction is Hofbrau served by the liter really the place for a newborn?

Ouch, Lance. Just ouch.

http://tiny.cc/Y7XKz

Lance Armstrong Blames Sheryl Crow's Biological Clock for Split

I'm so hot and cold when it comes to Lance Armstrong. On one hand, I love what he's done to raise awareness (and funds) for cancer research. And he's a role model for guys everywhere who think they can get into shape by riding a bike - not easy to do unless you're logging hundreds of miles a week, but if it gets them off the ouch, good for them. But this recent news about him blaming Sheryl Crow's biological clock for their breakup is just cold, considering the fact that he's now with some 20-something girl from his staff who is now pregnant with his child. If the pregnancy was an accident/miracle, fine, but do you need to publish - and publicize - that you didn't want kids with Crow? And what about your future child, who will now know that you didn't want to have any more kids?

I'm not a huge fan of Sheryl Crow's music - she's okay, not great - but this is just rude. Good for her for going ahead and adopting. But she might want to rethink the outfit in the above photo - are those overalls?