Last week I took both girls to "the city" (aka: Albany) for the first time. Feeling adventurous and a little insane, we ventured out with little expectations of actually accomplishing anything at all. (Disclaimer: wish full thinking told me to go to giant baby store, pick up necessities, then grab lunch at the mega mall food court. Following this mayhem my plan was that both babies would take a two hour nap while I, cool mama pushed them and leisurely shopped.) Things didn't exactly go that way, however I did learn a thing or two about having two children under the age of two and still trying to feel like you have it all together.
- Nursing your 3 week old and trying to entertain a 21 month old in a public "nursing room" isn't that hard. Talking about the different colors and shapes on the walls was the topic of conversation for a while. Keeping the toddler from knocking over a decorative lamp and trying to keep her from eating stray animal crackers off the floor proved to be a struggle when the conversation got boring.
-A double jogger stroller (side by side style) is a necessity. But it has its faults. Like, you cannot maneuver it between the sea of cars in the mega mall parking lot. Instead, walking around the entire lot is the only way in... or out.
- Double jogger stroller does not fit in the bathroom handicap stall. Relying on the kind smile of a stranger to watch your children and allow you to void proved successful. This can be done if you can trust your instincts. Thank goodness mine were right on.
-purchasing said kind stranger lunch when you bump into her in the food court line again, is a way to instill good karma. It also earned more points, and said stranger carried our lunch tray to our eating destination.
- Order yourself a salad. Being postpatum you feel skinnier just looking at it.
- choosing an eating destination in a large food court is necessary, should the need to whip out big lefty (or little righty) to feed your newborn. I chose far away and secluded, for nursing privacy.
- getting a toddler settled in her seat while spreading out her lunch (laying out napkins to cover the table surface, dumping chicken tenders on them, poking straw through drink.. etc) and keeping a careful eye on the teeny tiny body lying in a gigantic stroller are no big feat. Eating your salad with your fingers because you forgot a fork is.... and attemping to pack up the troops to get one would prove disasterous. Don't forget a fork!
-Double jogger stroller does not fit in popular chain department store "family restroom". Changing diapers in the common area of the mall near the greenery seems to work well.
- whipping out big lefty behind a pillar near the greenery works well for privacy.
- keep diaper bag securely closed while doing this. Toddlers seem to have a grand time strewing out all of your belongings around this feeding area and poking you in the eyes with sunglasses. Repeatedly.
- make sure newborn is really hungry when doing this. Otherwise, you just end up with an embarrassing wet leg, crotch to knee.
- deciding when its time to leave is crucial to avoid stares and sympathetic "been there" smiles. A good time would be when both occupants of the double stroller are wailing at the top of their lungs and your leg is soaking wet.
- when you think its time to exit, just give it 5 more minutes. As after packing up the stroller and putting child number 1 in her car seat, and settling to feed child number 2 in front seat.... child number 1 immediately falls asleep and child number 2 satisfy her hunger.
I never got that two hour of mommy time shopping, but I did enjoy the first of many shopping trips with my two girls. The bumps in the road I viewed as lessons for myself. Lessons that have taught me to roll with the punches. Lessons that maybe someday I can teach them.
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