The Broke Mommy

A true story (with mild exaggerations)
Karen watched as Kalisse dragged her body slowly across the floor. As if Kalisse was in too much pain to walk.  Karen giggled, knowing Kalisse would someday be a riveting actress.

"We are leaving now Kalisse" Karen yelps as she grabs Joe's hand before he swipes another dish out of the dishwasher, possibly to chew on. "You can't touch that yet" she sighs as she runs to grab the ringing phone. Who knew a one year old would be acting like the terrible twos so soon?

"Daddy is waiting for us!" Karen smiles as she is always glad to hear from her husband John. How she hates being away from him all day long.

The stress of life etches itself on Karen's forehead. Thirty six years old, who knew she'd be pregnant, again... her thoughts are interrupted as Kalisse asks to wear her new flip flops to the dinner party.  Oh dear, thinks Karen.

She eventually bundles the children into their quaint mini-van and heads for the Johnson's for dinner.  Her best friend Sue invited them weeks ago.

As they knock on the door things seem strange. More cars parked in the neighbor hood than usual. Karen lets herself in and gasps.

"Surprise!" Yells Mary, Sue, Beth, JacKay, and all Karen's friends and relatives. 

"It's not my birthday! Someone made a mistake!" says Karen in dismay.

"No," says Karen's mom "it is your special day.  John is going to take the kids and go eat, while us girls stay here and give you a special baby shower to celebrate you being such a wonderful mommy!"

"Who has a shower for their fourth child?" Karen is curious.

"Well, all those clothes you have got for the baby have been used by three others, and you deserve some You time!" says Sue. Sue always has been the best friend Karen could have ever known.

Karen can't believe it. She was so worried about this baby. She had plenty of toys and clothes to hand down from her other children, but the cost of having a baby was so high. The stress had been wearing her down, and her good friends had just lifted her up.

She was surprised by the effort put into the party. Something on the table caught her eye.

"What is that beautiful cake? I've never seen something like that before." She asks Sue.

"It's a baby diaper cake.  We all knew you needed diapers for the baby, and they are just so darn expensive, so we pitched in a bought you a baby diaper cake.  Of course, its got some fun new toys on it for the baby as well."

"Say no more. This party and this gift are the best thing anyone has ever done for me. It's like you knew exactly what I needed."  Karen smiled. Seven months later Karen threw a baby shower for her sister Linda.  She knew exactly what to get her, but she didn't know where to get it.  She called up Sue.  "Sue, that adorable baby diaper cake, where did you get that?"

Sue said "I looked all over the internet.  The best ones were at www.TheDiaperBakery.com, and they were priced the best too."

"Thanks!" said Karen.  And Linda's party was magical too.

And so to this day the tradition continues; mothers in stress have no fear, no need to spend money on diapers, the cute gift of giving them is spreading to an online store near you.

By: Deidre Gunnels