Retail: The difference between First-Time Moms and Dads

I’ve lived on this planet for 30 plus years. A little more than 12 of these years, I’ve probably shopped at Target at least twice a month, if not more. (The first 18 years were spent in a town that actually didn't have a Target (but now does), yet, surprisingly, I was able to survive.) That means I’ve, at minimum, been inside a Target at least 288 times.

Yet, just recently, I found myself entering a portion of the store I never really realized existed – the Baby Department: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzlG28B-R8Y

I remember life as a kid, teen and a young twenty something, full of summers running into lakes and diving into pools full of cold water. There’s a slight initial shock, but your body quickly adjusts and you’re good to go.

Well, that is the male mentality at least. I also remember the ladies, dipping one toe into the pool or standing knee deep in the lake for what felt like eons as they, ‘adjusted to the temperature.’

So, there I was, standing in a somewhat foreign aisle of a typical Target store. It was somewhere in between the Office Section, Shoe Department and Women’s Clothing Department. My initial thought was, when the hell did Target get carpeting? I stood and stared and couldn't get myself to walk into this carpeted mystery land full of moms with crying babies.

Then, there was my wife with shopping cart in hand busting through the aisle like a run-away semi-truck. She barreled into the Baby Department as naturally as a recently hatched baby sea turtle makes a mad dash for the sea.

“Look at these booties and blankets, car seats and cradles,” she said ecstatically. She was so into it, I don’t think she noticed the obvious shock painted all over my face.

I put one foot onto the carpet then quickly brought it back to the safe and known Target linoleum. It was clear; I needed to ‘adjust to the temperature.’

But, I eventually ‘jumped in.’ Don’t get me wrong; I really can’t see myself in this Department for fun on a regular basis. But, it was pretty amazing to see what made up the retail space between where I buy cards and where I used to buy video games.

In a really odd way it made me feel like I was entering into a new Department of my life. I wasn't sure I wanted to let go of where I once was, but when I did, It was kind of fun splashing through this Department of miniature sized consumer goods that we’ll need for the next phase of life. Besides, itty bitty socks, frogs on small t-shirts and giraffes on tiny overalls are fricken cute, no matter what anyone says.

The next time we're at Target, shopping for Little Man, aka Baby Monster, I’ll dive right in. Yea, it’ll still be a bit shocking, but I know that once I jump in, I’ll 'adjust to the temperature' quickly and will be happy to be there.