Ladies wot shop

I have a bit of a tendency to drag Eve everywhere with me that I can. I would like to pretend this is good for her development or some such, but in reality it is because I refuse to stop going out, and at the same time am acutely aware that my maternity leave only has one month left and I want to spend as much time with her as I can.

Usually when we go out people comment - ask how old she is and whether she is a boy or girl. If she is awake people, especially Chinese, comment on how blue her eyes are and she does have an adorable smile. Eve is pretty portable as she doesn't cry much and is such a glutton that if she's not eating she is often asleep digesting the vast amount in her tummy!

Earlier this week I found myself in one of HK's most glam shops (starts with an H, is named after a god and sells stupidly overpriced bags named after Grace Kelly). For the past 4 years I have been coveting, and I do not use the word lightly, a particular watch from the aforementioned shop. I have never managed to justify spending such a horrific amount of money but the combination of three factors, carefully rationalised, led me to the store.

Firstly, other than a pair of Jimmy Choos in the sale I have not spent any money on clothes, shoes or handbags since I got pregnant (the Luella nappy bag doesn't count as it's for Eve). Secondly, the bank was very generous with my bonus this year. Finally, I have just had a baby and deserve a pressie so I might as well buy myself one!

So, accompanied by my glam friend LottieP to guide me in case I had lost the designer shoppings skillset along with my flat stomach, I put on my best baby sling and pottered along to H. I believe that one should always walk into stupidly expensive shops as if it is an everyday occurance so I strode towards the door...

To find that nobody opened it for me! Even in dodgy little seconds shops someone opens the door if you have a baby, but not here. Inside the shop assistants were of the type of seem to float around without actually being responsible for anything. In HK, where shop assistants tend to jump on you with a sales pitch, this was refreshing but unnerving - the pink bundle on my front was not a growth to be ignored!

When we found the watch section and a lovely lady to serve us, she waxed lyrical about the products, helped me try on a few different watches, and even let me try hers to see what a different colour strap looked like. However, not once did she or anyone else mention the fact I had a small snuffling thing stuck to my chest.

The only person, in fact, who registered was a 60 something, Chanel-clad, blonde lady who looked utterly horrified.

I think I prefer the cheaper shops where people are a bit more human, although I have a very nice watch now.