So much labor I MUST be having a baby

I spent a ridiculous amount of time in the Walmart today getting a baby shower gift. But I had forgotten my print-out and didn't know there was a way to print a new one in the store. I got an item I believed to be on the list, but when I called a co-worker to verify, no answer. Called another co-worker, no answer. Tried two cell phones, nothing.

So I put the item in my basket and went to the front of the store. I waited forever in line, during which time I got a phone call confirming that the item I selected was on the list, and asked the clerk if he could make sure the item was removed from the registry when I purchased it. He didn't know how to do that without the paper, so he called for a manager. We literally waited five minutes and no manager showed up. So I told him nevermind and took my item to customer service instead.

I waited in line again, and once again explained my situation when I got to the front of the line, only to get a blank look from the "service" rep. I don't know how to do that, she says. Maybe someone in jewelery can help you. Of course, that completely baffled me, but I went along with it.

At the jewelery counter I explained once again my issue and the lady says... oh, well you just need to go to the kiosk right over there (it was nearby, in the jewelery section) and print out another list. Ugh. Why didn't anyone else mention that? Could have saved me some line-standing. Of course, maybe I should have just known, but I don't do this gift registry thing much if at all.

So finally I re-entered the check-out lane, and waited forever again as that particular walmart seemed to have a capacity management issue of some sort. And when I finally got to the front of the line, and the cashier tried to remove the item from the registry, she received an error... "invalid registry". Ugh. Two more attempts, same issue. Finally she read the instructions on the top of the registry and was able to get it working, but not without getting me nervous and feeling like I had COMPLETELY wasted my lunch hour.


You'd think I were then done with baby shower strife, eh? But you would be incorrect. Three of my 7 employees are either pregnant or have a pregnant spouse, so this is a joint shower for two of them that are due a couple weeks apart. Next it was off to Target to pick-up another registry item.

As I had learned from my error, I went immediately to where the gift registry kiosks were in Target (much more obvious than at Walmart) and printed a registry. I went to the baby section to get the item I was expected to pick-up (both of these are joint gifts from the team), but couldn't find it. There was a similar item, but not exactly the item requested. Hmmm. So I made another couple phone calls and learned that not only did they not have the item at that Target, but they no longer carried it and so no Target in the country would have it. ARGH! You'd think it would drop off the registry then. But no.

So fast-forward to hours later this evening, when I instead had to go to a Babies R Us, where the same employee also had a registry, so that I could finally, after much wasted time, pick-up the gift that the team had decided upon. So how, exactly did I get stuck with this duty? I haven't had a baby in nine plus years, so what do I know?