Operation: Run Errands With a Newborn

I've been fortunate to have many girlfriends have babies before me, and have watched as many of them toted their little arm candy newborns with ease to many events - loud restaurants, parties, coffee shops - and these sweet little babies slept soundly in their carseats the whole time.

I've been very nervous to venture out with my little parcel on my own because he doesn't have a predictable nap schedule yet and I've been afraid I'd be out somewhere when he wakes up and has a meltdown. But, lest I become a Mrs. Haversham and never get out of my bathrobe, I figured I better rip the band aid off and start going on small outings to increase my comfort zone.

For my first solo outing, I planned very specific errands: buy stamps, drop off Goodwill donations, mail a box from UPS and if I was feeling really ambitious/lucky, swing by Starbucks.

Common theme: all drive through errands. For my first outing, I planned to never actually leave the car! Brave, right?

The planning that it took to get us out of the house rivaled a small military operation.

My diaper bag was loaded with multiple outfit changes, diapers, formula and paci's in the event of any type of emergency. I backed my car out of the garage, put the items to be dropped off in and put on real pants that actually have a button. I may have even brushed my hair. I was ready.

When Bo woke up, I tanked him up with some milk, changed him, popped in the car seat and said a prayer. My hope was that he'd be awake and content for a bit and then drop off into a nap. I figured once he fell asleep, I had approximately an hour before the tummy-alarm-clock might wake him up again.

Off we went. I stopped by Starbucks first, because it was closest to my house and well, I needed the fuel for reinforcement. I looked in the little mirror and was relieved to see my little companion was awake but content. His hands were waving as he conducted his mini orchestra and his feet kicked under his blanket, but he showed no signs of being fussy.

After purchasing my stamps, I headed on down the road and noticed Bo was finally asleep. Off to Goodwill we went and I was feeling confident. My final stop was the UPS box drop off, but when I got there I discovered my box was too big to fit in the drop off container. I debated going home and saving the box for another day, but I was an accomplished woman! With a sleeping baby! Getting things done!

So I rolled the die and drove to the UPS store, carried Bo in and dropped off the box. We successfully completed the errand and I was headed back home when...



Ladies & gentlemen, we have a meltdown!

Oh, poor baby Bo. Poor momma. My ears! I pulled over to try and soothe him, but my attempts proved to be futile. I debated mixing up a bottle there in the parking lot I was in, but decided just to drive the few miles home and feed him there.

Longest 8 minutes of my life.

We finally made it home, and after a bottle and some serious swaddle and shushing time, all was well again in Baby Bo's life and a seriously long nap ensued. It's exhausting yelling that loudly!

So I can't say my first solo outing was a roaring success… but at least we tried! I was feeling rather disheartened but after texting this photo to two of my mommafriends, Jamie and Akanksha, with the caption "having wine for lunch. don't judge" I got lots of reassurances from them that it would get easier and better as he got older and I would eventually get the hang of it. And that in the meantime, it was perfectly fine for me to have wine for lunch since I was clearly not leaving the house for another 3 weeks.