To change or not to change?

I've decided it is unacceptable for restaurants to not offer changing tables.

Back in my college, waitressing years I remember a new father yelling at me for there not being a changing table at the Macaroni Grill where I worked.  I couldn't understand why he was so angry and yelling at ME!  What could I do?  In my young, motherless mind I thought, what a creep! 

But I totally get it now.

There have been multiple times in our daughter's young 5 months of life where we have had no where to change her. Today being the most recent.  We had our first liesurely mother/daughter lunch...strolled downtown, took in the beautiful weather and enjoyed getting out of the house just sitting in a restaurant...finally, after a long Winter!  But, when she began to get fussy and I knew she needed to be changed there was no changing table and we had to rush home.

Just two weeks ago we met my husband for lunch on a particularly cold day.  By the end of lunch, there was no changing table and I had a 40 minute drive ahead of me...it had to be done.  We could either subject her to the frigid cold and uncomfortableness of changing her in the car, OR change her on the floor of the back of the restaurant where she could be "hidden" on her little mat I religiously carry now (Thank you Grandma and Auntie Carly for this shower gift!)

Luckily, it was after the lunch rush...but why should she have to lay on the floor of a restaurant to have her diaper changed?  I mean, seriously.  After all, she is a human being just like all us adults who can't seem to install changing tables in public bathrooms.  When a waitress rounded the corner and "intruded" on us...she gasped in surprise and then giggled in embarrassment. 

I thought to myself, you aren't the only one embarrassed lady.  It's disgraceful and totally annoying.

I just had to get that off my chest.  I feel for my little girl and just think babies should be given a certain level of respect.  Restaurants need to build bathrooms with enough room for a changing table and get over their cheapness by not installing them.

Ok, I'm done.