Our First and Second Outing

The Pediatrician told us to wait until Jane was 4 weeks old to take her out of the house and if we could to wait until 6 weeks since its cold and flu season.
As soon as 4 weeks was up, I had to get out of the house. Just one time. I couldn't stand it anymore. Now, Ive gone out a few places already but it was without Jane, but it wasn't enough.
Can you guess where I went? Yep, TARGET of course. I had a bunch of things that I wanted to get for Jane and myself. I had a whole list of things and there was no way I could send Mr. Hunt to get them all successfully, especially a nursing bra.
So, how did it go you ask? Not well! Right now, Jane eats for an hour, then I change her diaper, then she is awake for about 15-45 minutes before she take a nap until her next feeding. I thought the perfect time would be after her first morning feed. I fed her, and while she was in her awake stage, I washed up and got dressed. I strapped her in the car seat and got her in the car without a peep....success. She was still awake, but I knew that the motion of the car would definitely put her to sleep since every other time it has. (We have taken her on a few car rides before, but never into a store or anything) Sure enough she was quiet the entire car ride so I was for sure she fell asleep. I decided that I would treat myself to a coffee from Starbucks so I went through the drive through before parking in the Target parking lot.
I parked right next to the place where you return your carts. (If you cant tell already, taking a baby out in public requires alot of premeditation and planning) I got out and grabbed a cart so that I didn't have to carry the car seat into the store and then put it on a cart.
I realized then that I had no idea how to put a car seat onto a cart. I attached it how I would assume it was done, but it didn't seem very sturdy and it was making me nervous. This whole time she was sleeping....or so I thought.
As soon as I walked into Target, I decided that I couldn't walk around with the seat on the cart like that so I transferred it into the actual cart which then made NO room for anything I was going to get. Oh well, Id find a spot.
Sure enough after grabbing one out of the 15 things I needed, she started screaming. I tried the paci and it would only quiet her for 2 minutes before she started screaming again. I'm sure people in Target were wondering what I was doing because I would walk/run up and down the aisles to try to make a motion to put her to sleep. When I had to stop to look at something I would jerk the cart back and forth. Nothing was working. I looked at her and thought that maybe she was hot. I certainly was in my jacket. I was sweating in there, but probably because I was anxious. I took her blanket off and tried to see if that worked. NOPE!
At this point, I thought real hard about just leaving with nothing. Oh, this whole time I had ONE sip of my coffee and it finally fell off my cart and spilled everywhere. Then I threw the rest away. So much for a coffee treat. There were a few things that I REALLY needed to get while I was there and a few things that could wait, but nothing really seemed that important while I was standing there in the plunger aisle with a screaming baby.
I finally picked her up out of the seat and she stopped crying. OK, so maybe I can finish shopping while holding her. Man, this girl was HEAVY. Now I really WAS sweating. I was carrying her with one arm and pushing the cart with another, it was crazy. All the while things were piling out of the cart since the seat was taking all the room.
I somehow got everything I needed and I also got a few strange looks from people, but who cares? Its all apart of being a mom, whatever gets them to stop crying right? The cashier lady felt bad for me as I dropped something out of the cart and I clearly had my hands (or arms) full. She asked nicely if I needed help out to my car. I told her no, I just needed to get out of there.
I finally made it out into the parking lot where I unloaded the car with one arm, got her into her seat, and strapped her into the car to leave.
As I was getting into the car I said out load "I guess errands will be alot different from here on out."

Whats the lesson I learned? Well, for now, Ill just bring my Baby Bjorn and carry her around in that, hopefully she wont cry then.

Our second outing was a short little trip to the bank to get something  notarized. I thought about our trip to Target, but realized it was silly to being the Bjorn for one quick thing. Once again I waited until after she ate and was awake for a bit to leave. This time though, Jane screamed the entire time I put her in the seat and all the way to the bank. I almost decided to turn around and go home for the fear of being totally embarrassed at the quiet bank, but as soon as I parked she stopped crying.
I walked around to her side of the car and took her out, she was awake, but quiet. I walked into the bank hoping that I wouldn't have to wait. Thank goodness I didn't. I made sure to rock her seat back and forth the entire time I was getting it notarized and she was a great baby.
She was quiet the whole way home and took a nap once we got home. Totally different experience.

What's the lesson I learned this time? Well, that no trip will be the same and to expect anything right now. Ill just have to make sure I'm prepared for anything.

Ill get the hang of it soon and I learn not to get so frazzled every time she starts to fuss.


Love,
Jennifer