Babies in the Office

Babies + Office = Awkward. A formula for forced smiles and shifty eyes.

A former co-worker of mine brought their newborn baby into the office today and showed off the little guy for all to see. Now don't get the wrong impression, I like babies and all. They're cute and cuddly and truly we can all agree the miracle of life is wondrous, right? I mean we all saw that video in school so it has to be true! Anyways, I'm getting sidetracked....

Someone showing off their newborn baby in the office always seems to be this really awkward forced interaction everytime I see and experience it. Truly one of those "Office Space" moments.

Here's what I usually see happen. Enter the proud mother with newborn baby in tow (either in arms or stroller). She walks the little one around to each separate person and "surprises" them (usually by standing one foot behind the person in their cube while that person is engaged in the middle of a work call or email) and before you can realize what is going on you are scared half to death all while trying to figure out why the heck you are staring at a baby?

Then the mother is looking to you to re-assure her that her child is the cutest kid on the planet. So instinctively you go to non-stop smile and goo-goo talk mode, but you can only do that for so long before it starts to get awkward and creepy. Which leads me back to my original point.

Babies + Office = Awkward. New mothers be warned, congratulations on the kid! We want to see him or her, but please no ninja stealth moves around the office shoving babies in my face. It tends to creep me out!