It all started with hubs urging me to go for a walk and live it up these last few days on my maternity leave. I mentioned to him that it was due to rain and while I'm perfectly okay walking in the rain, we had a baby to think about now when we go out. He still pushed noting that we have umbrellas and rain coats that would keep things dry...so I gave in - a quick check of the weather and making note of where the rain was I figured we had a few hours to get out and back - plenty of time to get up to Starbucks and back before it started raining. I did pack an umbrella, rain coat and our diaper bag (which was the extent of my planning).
The walk started out easy enough - it took me two tries to find the right path that would take us up the road without actually having to walk on the road (we're lucky to have a network of paths that traverse the flood basins which allow us to walk place to place with minimal time on actual roads). Noah was awake but quiet. A quick look at my watch I realized that he'd be wanting to eat in about an hour - mistake #1. I should have waited to go until I can feed him to have the max amt of time possible out without having to take a break for food. In my haste to try to beat the rain however, I overlooked this point which will come back to bite me later.
About 3/4 of the way up to Starbucks he started to fuss and I knew it was hunger setting in. I checked the diaper bag only to find that I'd given my emergency water for making a bottle to hubs during church at Easter (Mistake #2 - didn't check the diaper bag for all the necessities). I'd need to stop at the grocery store to get some bottled water to make a bottle. However, I was still 10 min out from the store. So I started to high tail it as fast as possible replacing his binky every 100 feet because in his anger he kept spitting it out. By the time I hit the grocery store Noah had hit code red and was wailing at the top of his lungs. I pulled him out of his stroller and tried like heck to comfort him while I ran down the end caps at the store looking for the little fridge that had just plain water (they had everything else but..). Last end cap had it and I made a bee line for check out. I checked out, wailing baby in tow (and gathering sympathetic looks along the way), and walk as quickly as I can to Starbucks where they have chairs outside so I can get things situated.
It takes me hours longer than normal to assemble the bottle (at least that's what it felt like) but I finally had it all together. A sympathetic Quiznos owner, thinking we were cold, offered to let Noah cry it out in his store:) Having fed Noah, I popped into Starbucks for my Chai. Noah was still cranky so I had to carry him - which meant abandoning the jogger outside. A very nice gentleman offered to carry my drink since my arms were full (funny how a baby brings out kindness in just about everyone). After all of this we were on our way only to have Noah freak out before I even got out of the plaza.
I couldn't think of what else to do so I picked him up and zipped him up in my coat so I could carry him easier. This is how we started our way home. That's also the same time the rain started. It just started sprinkling but I knew it would pick up in no time so, with Noah nestled in my coat, I walked as quickly as I could (pushing an empty stroller) trying to make it back to the path and the cover of trees. At that point Noah was asleep so I put him back in the stroller and covered it with my rain coat.
As the rain started to come down harder I pulled out the umbrella I'd packed and opened it up. It took me about 10 min to figure out that it would actually be easier for me to wear the coat and to use the umbrella to cover Noah in the stroller - we must have looked like quite the sight!
Anywho...long story short (okay, long story longer) we made it home. Noah was bone dry and warm while I was a bit soggy and starting to chill. I learned a bunch of lessons on this walk:
1. Always try to start out with a full belly
2. Premake the bottle before you head out if you can
3. Check the diaper bag to make sure you have all the essentials
4. Don't assume anything will go as planned with an infant!
Bonus - I got to try out the music speakers on our jogging stroller! While it doesn't make up for not having a BoB stroller, it certainly makes using that jogger much more fun and walks more pleasurable with a few tunes!
I had to laugh at your story. As a new mom, things like this happen all the time! I normally forget the pacifiers and it's a disaster! Or if I forget the snacks..another disaster! Just lesson learned! Good luck with your walking. I like your stroller. I have a double jogging one very similar to your single one.
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