The baby effect

Whenever I go out in public with Rania I notice the "Baby Effect". Strangers smile at us and coo at Rania. They are friendly and strike up random conversations with me about how old she is and her name. Women with small children will ask if Rania's sleeping through the night and offer advice. The world seems like a kinder, gentler place.

Last week I was having lunch with a friend at a small sandwich shop. In the middle of lunch, Rania needed to be changed, so I rushed her to the restroom. An elderly women sitting at a nearby table moved her chair to let us go by. She smiled and rushed over to open the restroom door. "Do you need any other help?", she asked sweetly. "Here I'll get out the changing pad for you" she said as she reached into the open diaper bag. I thanked her profusely for her help as she left. She disappeared before I returned from the restroom. 

As we were leaving, I struggled to carry the car seat, diaper bag, and my trash. A women sitting nearby noticed my distress and offered to throw away my trash for me.

These are small acts of kindness, but they make my day so much more pleasant. The "Baby Effect" is a beautiful thing indeed.