This weekend has been a whole new adventure in parenting. I am feeling healed enough to leave the house for small trips now, and so after feeling stranded for weeks in my upstairs bedroom, I have started to get out with Alchemy a little.
Yesterday morning, I opened the front door and stepped out to discover that there was a cool wind blowing and it was in the low 80's. After an entire summer of 100+ degree days, this felt like a real cool front. I went back in, strapped on the baby in the wrap and grabbed my mom. Out the door we went for a walk in the neighborhood. Wandered past cute houses, high schoolers making their way off campus for lunch, construction on gutted hours being renovated and streets with no sidewalks, finally returning home feeling happy but also a bit sore. Pushed myself to the edge of my limits on that first walk out carrying her, but very much enjoyed it.
Then the afternoon came. After some time spent with visitors, we abandoned our original evening plans for another adventure- travel to Round Rock to Baby Earth to buy some stuff for her and have dinner somewhere. Now while a simple trip to a very baby friendly store and a restaurant for dinner sounds like it would be easy, it actually became quite a trip. First problem- although she was well fed and happy when we set out on our adventure, we made the mistake of making this trip during rush hour. What would have normally taken us 20 or so minutes took over an hour. While we originally intended to shop then eat, by the time we reached the area we were heading, our main goal amidst the screaming baby was stop the car and release her from the car seat of doom- ANYWHERE to eat! Anywhere translated into Carino's, where part two of my adventure occurred.
While I was hoping we would arrive, get seated and all would stay quiet and well with the cute sleeping baby in the wrap on my chest, this of course was not the case. No sooner had we sat to eat than she started to fuss. Time to feed. Mom and I exit to the restroom where we have our first public diaper change- not bad. Next- trying to get her into the sling in a position that I can breastfeed her in. After several attempts it became very clear that it wasn't happening. Instead, I prepared to go back to the table in attempt to feed her discreetly not in the sling, but held in my arms. Somehow, I managed to pull it off although without the usual Boppy and blankets for support I am so used to at home, my arms got tired really quick. Grant leaned over to tell me how I am such an amazing mom and of course, I find myself in tears. I don't feel like an amazing mom, that shit was hard. I keep feeling like with every new challenge I am blundering through making a mess of things. We were successful with a quick feeding and she slept through dinner soundly.
Finally, we made it to our destination, but even in the store she screamed for a while, making our shopping trip much shorter than we hoped for. Paid and got to the car where we once again had to wake her to put her in the seat- got a little crying in before she passed out before we ever left the parking lot. Thankfully she slept the rest of the way home.
Today's adventures were less troublesome. This morning we visited our community garden but she slept through the whole visit, not seeing our garden plot, the people who came over to see her, or the chicken pen we visited. In the afternoon we made our first trip to the grocery store together that she slept through entirely.
Now, laying in bed typing this I realize just how tired I am after a long day out with no naps for me. I am hoping she will have a fuss free easy sleeping night.
Location:Austin,TX
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