Episode 21: The time we almost went for a walk during an apocalyptic storm

It is amazing how narrowly I avoid disaster sometimes.

For the past two days Av has not been feeling well. Nothing serious, just a seasonal head cold. It has been frustrating for a few reasons. First, she is very, very whiny. She wants to play and have fun, but will often spontaneously break out in tears. Think of how miserable you are when you have a head cold. Stuffy nose, headache, tired all of the time. Now picture being 8-months-old and not really understanding what is going on. It is tough.

It is also frustrating because I can't do anything to help her, and I can't seem to make her happy. She won't let me put her down most of the time, which makes for a long, long day.

In any event today after trying, with no luck, to entertain her in the house, I decided to explore the reality of taking a little walk, maybe to the park if she felt up to it. I wasn't sure if going outside was a great idea, but I figured the fresh air would help.

Before we left I took her outside on the porch to see what the weather was like. It had rained all night, so I was concerned that it might be a little too cold for her. To  my surprise, it was pretty warm and the sun had come out through the clouds, very pleasant.

I  told Av we were going to the park and started to bundle her up. At that time she started to fuss and throw a fit, so I made her up a little snack before we left. As she has done most of the last two days, she rejected the real food in favor of a bottle. Delaying our trip to the park about ten minutes, and making me admittedly irritated, as I was at the end of my rope with the crying and fussing and whining.

After we finished the bottle I bundled her up and was looking for a hat to put on her when I heard the longest, loudest roll of thunder I had heard all summer. In fact, when I first heard it I thought it was the commuter rail train derailing and immediately imagined a horrific, fiery disaster at the end of our street.

I waited for the sirens to follow, but heard nothing but wind, and looked out the window to find an apocalyptic scene unfolding. Daylight had all but vanished and the wind was blowing leaves, flags, trash cans and everything else that was powerless to its advances down the street.

Moments later, the sideways rain started. Pelting the house with drops the size of hail, loud and fast. You could hardly see through it.

I looked at the baby, shocked that she wasn't crying after the thunder, and she gave me this look like 'we're not still going for that walk, right?'

The rain continued for about 15 minutes, ending after a second, louder clap of thunder. So loud, in fact, the cats collided in a dual attempt to hide under the couch.

Again, Av didn't cry, she just looked around, probably happy that she wasn't outside.

I am sure there is a lesson to be learned here, I am not sure what it is. I am not a particularly religious man, but perhaps it was God telling me to be more patient with her crying because she is sick. Or maybe we just got lucky and missed the storm.