As any mother with a small child (or small child-REN) will tell you, getting out of the house to go somewhere is quite a production. You have to not only get yourself and your child dressed and ready, you have to make sure that you have all the necessary supplies to leave home. These essentials can include but are not limited to: bottles, diapers, extra clothes, blankets, bibs, burp cloths, snacks, toys for the car seat, toys for the stroller, and pacifiers. By the time you, the child, and the supplies are ready, you are exhausted and your child is either: A) cranky B)hungry C)wet/dirty D)covered in spit-up or E)all of the above. And you could also be one or all of these things with the possible exception of being wet/dirty (hopefully).
Now, before my son was born, I, just like any outsider could not fully appreciate just how difficult it is to leave home for the day. I ignorantly thought, “How hard can it be? Oh, it’ll be a breeze for me…and I’ll look so put-together, pushing my content child in his stroller, blissfully spending the day running errands.”
How stupid was I?
I have now attempted to take Alexander out shopping 3 times, each with my mother’s help. And, to put it mildly, it’s like going into battle.
There is always something: getting the stroller out, getting the car seat onto the stroller, pacifying the baby because he hates the car seat, finding a way to warm the bottle, praying he doesn’t start screaming before the bottle is warmed, trying to find a place to give the bottle, getting him out of the car seat and trying to shop while holding him because if I leave him in the car seat a moment longer, we are going to have a major breakdown. And don’t even get me started on diaper changes. Let’s just say that having that dirty diaper right before leaving the house might just be a blessing in disguise.
So, I’ve been initiated into running errands with a small child. And I know that my days of casual browsing are done. Now, each stop is like a strategic air strike: I hone in on my target and go for a direct hit.
Oh well…at least there’s still ebay.
Now, before my son was born, I, just like any outsider could not fully appreciate just how difficult it is to leave home for the day. I ignorantly thought, “How hard can it be? Oh, it’ll be a breeze for me…and I’ll look so put-together, pushing my content child in his stroller, blissfully spending the day running errands.”
How stupid was I?
I have now attempted to take Alexander out shopping 3 times, each with my mother’s help. And, to put it mildly, it’s like going into battle.
There is always something: getting the stroller out, getting the car seat onto the stroller, pacifying the baby because he hates the car seat, finding a way to warm the bottle, praying he doesn’t start screaming before the bottle is warmed, trying to find a place to give the bottle, getting him out of the car seat and trying to shop while holding him because if I leave him in the car seat a moment longer, we are going to have a major breakdown. And don’t even get me started on diaper changes. Let’s just say that having that dirty diaper right before leaving the house might just be a blessing in disguise.
So, I’ve been initiated into running errands with a small child. And I know that my days of casual browsing are done. Now, each stop is like a strategic air strike: I hone in on my target and go for a direct hit.
Oh well…at least there’s still ebay.
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