Everyone has their comfort zone. At many times in your life, you’ll be forced to step outside that zone for one reason or another. That goes double for anyone who’s got kids.
Today, I took that step at 7:30 a.m.
See, Allie’s been sick for almost a week now with some bad vertigo. That means I’ve had to start actually pulling my weight as a parent around here, since she can’t drive. Yeah, you feel sorry for me, don’t you?
She’s gotten a bit better lately and can get the kids ready in the morning and on to the bus no problem. Today, however, is a B Day. That means Jason has early morning orchestra and has to be at the school by 7:45 for rehearsal.
Since Allie can’t drive, that means I had to drive the little guy to school this morning. Granted, we live a whopping 3 minute drive from the school (if that). Luckily, today I was leaving late for work anyways, so I was able to drive him. But because of that, I decided to sleep in later than usual today.
I got up at 7 with Allie. She jumped in the shower to get ready and I went downstairs to make the kids breakfast. Man, this parenting is tough let me tell ya! That must be why God invented coffee, right?
So what the heck does this have to do with comfort zones? Well, since Allie showered at 7, while I got the kids ready… that meant I had to take Jason to school without showering.
I wear contact lenses, so I hate leaving my house in glasses. No matter what. I also hate going out without showering because my hair is always a crazy, curly mess. Or, as Allie says, I have “clown hair.”
Now, it’s 7:25 a.m. I have 5 minutes to get Jason in the car and then off to school, and I’m standing there in my pajamas. While I know you like to envision me in some slick silk jammies like the ones Hugh Hefner wears, well, that’s just not the case. Sorry.
There I was in an undershirt and my Mario pajama pants. No socks on either. Allie’s solution to my dilemma: “Just drive him in your pajamas.”
Um, what now?
“You’ve never gone out in your pajamas? Just do it.”
No, I’ve never left my house wearing pajamas, let alone drove in public while wearing them! Could I do it? Would I get arrested? Do I even put socks on?
So many questions ran through my mind as my comfort level merely laughed at me and ran off to hide somewhere. I gathered up all of my courage, put on my boots (wishing they were nice soft fluffy Uggs), put on my jacket and got in the car.
Yes, I drove Jason to school in my pajamas. I dropped him off and got home in all of 5 minutes probably. I wasn’t arrested. I wasn’t mocked. I wasn’t going to show up on the bad pages of US Weekly.
I had stepped out of my comfort zone and survived. What’s more, it was kind of comfy wearing pajamas out of the house. Think my boss will mind if I don’t bother getting dressed today?
I had to leave my house in the middle of the night to pick up a friend who was in no condition to drive himself home. Turns out his car that I used to go pick him up had a tail-light out. I was in my comfie jammies and big fluffy slippers since I had no intention of ever getting out of the car. I got pulled over by a very nice policeman for the burned out tail-light. 20 years later and I’m not sure I’ve forgiven that friend for getting me out of bed.
Hahahh. Thanks for sharing that story, Rebecca. That is EXACTLY what I’m talking about! Looks like the Pajama Police nabbed you years ago! 🙂
I have never driven in PJ’s but have gone to the mailbox at the end of the driveway in them.
I hope your wife is feeling better I get terrible vertigo once every year or two and it’s horrible. Hate that drunken sailor feeling and having to crawl so you don’t fall over and the rapid eye movement thing, what the hell is that!
Where I live I see people at the gas station and the grocery store with pj’s on so it wouldn’t bother me at all to see you driving in them!
That is perfectly acceptable where I live!
I’m that mom who always goes to the bus stop with my hair already done, goes to the park in heels, etc. It comes with the fashion blogger territory. However, the other day I went out to get our mail and grab more firewood in a fuzzy pink heart robe and red fuzzy pj pants in the middle of winter with 3 foot piles of snow on either side of my driveway. My suburbia neighbors saw and I just didn’t care. It was cold!
You should wear PJs on the commute to work and than just change when you get there. 😉 Woman do it with heels right? Wear tennis shoes to work or home from work but when at work they are in heels! You can do it Andrew! 😛
Great idea, Alison! I’ll get right on that!