Baby shower, shower.

I am very fond of the idea of having a baby shower. What could be better than to gather with your closest friends and enjoy an afternoon spend together indulging in appetizers, chit-chat and unwrapping gifts!

I would also much rather prefer to catch up with everyone before the baby is born instead of having dozens of people visit me at the hospital literally hours after I give birth- with all due respect, that’s exhausting.

My Cynthia is currently in charge of coordination all the baby shower arrangements which is still a long two months away (but it’s never too early to plan, right?).  So this weekend we ventured into Mothercare hoping to get some information on their registration process. I was counting on a procedure that went something along the lines of: a give them a list of everything I need from the store and they share it with whoever shops for my baby shower. Pretty straight forward, right?

The tragedy conversation went something like this:

Me: Umm, excuse me.

(Both employees behind the counter continue pricing/unwrapping/picking their nose).

Me: Excuse me, hello?

(Employees turn around with totally blank expressions on their faces).

Cynthia: Do you do registrations for baby showers?

(Blank expressions continue…)

Cynthia: Baby showers? You know, like we want to hold a baby shower and we can register gifts so that the guests can chose from a list of items and bring them to the party?

(Here employees’ eyes widen but nevertheless the blank expressions prevail).

UselessEmployee1: We have this. (Hands us a Feedback and Comments Form)

Me: No, no. Well you know, for a baby shower, I can chose some items and people can give them to me during the baby shower.

(A light bulb appears above the head of one of the employees)

UselessEmployee1: Aaaa… (scratches head)

(Exchanges confused glances with UselessEmployee2)

UselessEmployee2: Baby Shower? Shower? Ohh shower? Ok!!!

(Both employees attempt to lead us to the shampoo/sponge/cotton balls/bath lotion section).

Me and Cynthia: Nooooooooo!

Cynthia: Not this shower, a BABY SHOWER!

Me: Cynthia stop saying shower! That’s what’s confusing them!

Cynthia: IS THERE A MANAGER WE CAN TALK TO?

Bow. Applause. Encore! Encore!