yoga baby

Yesterday I attempted our first baby yoga class. It was a gift to Lukas for Christmas and I finally seem to have some time for it. I know you must be wondering what baby yoga is….how can my 6 month old who doesn’t even have any interest in rolling over and fusses whenever he is left on his back benefit from yoga? Well, its more of a gathering in a yoga studio….Mommies or Daddies sit around with their babies and sing songs…move little bodies….swing and bounce and roll with the little ones on yoga mats all the time working with the principals of yoga. It’s quite sweet, or that is how I imagined it would be. Yesterday, however, it didn’t feel so sweet. I had to go to the dentist in the morning and Lukas came along therefore skipping his nap. I rocked him in his car seat while my teeth were scraped and sprayed…that was a new experience. It was 10:10 when we finished prodding and poking my mouth and the yoga class wasn’t until 11:00 (or so I thought). Lukas needed a nap and there wasn’t enough time to go home so we drove around and I dreamed off and he slept for 40 minutes. We killed time. At about 5 to 11:00 I pulled up at the studio to find no parking space. We drove around until I found one….quite far away. I woke Lukas and carried him hastily to the class. We lost his homemade sock in our rush. When I walked into the class it appeared to have started. They changed the time and I got in 15 minutes late for the 45 minute class! All the mommies and babies sat calm and yogafied while I tried to get Lukas out of his car seat, take off my shoes and gather my annoyance so that I could let it go. We found a place in the circle and joined in singing about monkeys and trains and then proceeded to attempt yoga postures with baby in hand. We lifted and bounced and swung our babies. Lukas spit up. He was fussy because he hadn’t slept enough. He was cranky about being tossed about while tired. I was cranky about being the mom who missed the first class and came in late and stressed with a fussy baby. I imagined all the calm yogi mommies were looking over thinking “that poor child is just fussy because he has a stressed out and disorganized mom.” Normally Lukas is really calm. He’s just tired I wanted to tell them all. “It’s not my fault….I just came from the dentist, my card with the time on it was wrong, he missed his nap, he is a good baby. I’m a good mom. Really…now can we be part of your happy yoga world? Please.” But then Lukas topped it all off with a great one…sealing our fate as yoga rejects. During the introduction, meet your neighbor portion of class, Lukas peed on himself. As I was smiling and greeting my neighbor she pointed out “your son seems to be peeing down his leg.” “Oh.” I exclaimed “Oh, I guess I should change him.” The woman turned away abruptly to meet a new neighbor. Now Lukas was fussy and I was trying to change him while all the other moms were ohming and rubbing their babies tummies and backs. What a mess. It seemed that I had just settled Lukas and it was time to pack him up and go again…which he hated and fussed through. While all the other mommies were connecting, sharing stories, planning lunch dates and walks, Lukas and I were both fussing in our own ways and resigning ourselves to each others eternal companionship. Feeling sorry for ourselves, no one will want to play with us…we are the late and fussy ones who pee ourselves…..sigh…so what did we learn… maybe that relaxation and community just can’t be bought…..and that it isn’t a good idea to pee on yourself when you are trying to make new friends.