Church Nursery: I'm That Mom

Today was Annie's first Sunday in the church nursery. The Gent took her while I was finishing up worship team practice. Ten minutes later we were finished rehearsing, so off I went to the nursery to nurse. Annie seemed fine when I left, thinking I would make it to the second half of Sunday School.

Well, turns out class was cancelled because our teacher was out of town. So I went back down to the library to browse until service. The library is right next to the nursery, though, and I could hear a baby--my baby--crying. I waited about three minutes and then went back to check on her. Annie was not a happy camper and the woman holding her didn't look too happy, either. So I stayed for a few minutes and calmed her down, then went to service.

At first I kept glancing at the "mommy we need you" board for Annie's number to flash up, but it didn't and I got engrossed in the sermon. I actually had the nerve to think I might listen to my first complete sermon since Annie's birth (my journal is filled with half-completed sermon notes). With about 10 minutes left in the service I felt a tap on my shoulder. Oops, I hadn't been paying attention to the number board, and sure enough Annie's number was up.

It took me all of two minutes to calm down a frazzled Annie (I'm not going to lie, it makes me happy and warms my mama heart to know that she recognizes me and prefers me to just about everybody else. She is happy with Daddy almost always, but I'm the one with the goods ;) so I always win if it really comes down to it. God gave mommies the ultimate trump card, ha!). Then we chatted with the nursery volunteers till the end of service, packed up and came home, where Annie nursed and then fell asleep for THREE hours. My baby does not like being off her routine one little bit! Reminds me of someone else I know . . . ME!

Sigh. I guess we will have to try this again next week. Or spend the next three years of Sundays in the cry room, watching the service through glass.

Yep, after all my years of volunteering to do nursery duty, I recognize myself as that Mom who just can't stay away from her baby!

P.S. But I have left Annie with a very trusted babysitter three times already! Honey kept her once for the Gent and I to go to dinner, and a sweet and generous friend from church has watched her twice - once for me to go to the doctor and once for the Gent and I to go to the symphony.