Protection from bad things

On Thursday (Dec 29) the baby and I were at King's Cross station in London about to head home. I could see some kind of protest near the station entrance and a few police officers but it was nothing too out of the ordinary for London. 

As we got near to the station entrance something happened.* The protestors rushed the police or the police rushed the protestors, who knows, but batons were raised and we saw a bloodied face and a swarm of police and protestors. This was all about 5 metres away from us and the situation went from nothing to something in a matter of seconds. I grasped the buggy tightly and ran onto the main station concourse. 

From there we got on the tube home and we were both fine. In fact the baby hadn't even noticed. This was a relief because one day of course I'll have to explain to her that sometimes horrible things happen, but for now I am content to have her think there is nothing bad in the world that her mummy cannot protect her from.

*The only news story I can find about it is here, on the Huffington Post website

My name is Mummy, hear me roar!

Having a baby has given me a new means of gauging whether or not I like someone. They can be as mean to me as they wish, their look can be stony, their remarks can be cutting and their actions annoying, but if they look at my baby and tell me she's beautiful, if they make a face that causes her to smile, or pick her up and let her nuzzle her milky snotty spitty dribble into their collar, then I will like them. 

It's slightly annoying at times.  I've spent seven years harbouring a grudge against someone and just had to let it slide the moment they complimented how alert and lovely my little girl is. It's affirming at other times though - the person who has twice refused a cuddle, failed to enquire after her health even when prompted and not once told me what wonderful eyes or hair or smile she has or even given us the backhanded compliment of praising her personality, well I never liked them anyway. The difference now is that beforehand they had a chance of making our relationship better and now nothing they ever do will make me like them.