Okay so yesterday after I got my staples out (post pm baby nap, before hubby home for dinner), I walked across town to drop off a casserole dish that ‘G’ had dropped by (with casserole in it). If she wasn’t there, I was going to leave in on her porch, so I wrote a thank you note and put it inside a few days ago. Anyway, it took 1/2 an hour. I was there probably 1/2 an hour and 1/2 hour back. I walked an HOUR pushing a stroller yesterday, ya’ll.
Today I walked up to pay the rent, it wasn’t a half an hour, but it was in the pouring rain. If I had driven I would have either had to
A: Circle the block for a few hours until I got a spot right in front of the door and run in really quickly, leaving baby in truck, or
B: Take baby out of car seat and get her wet
so I chose
C: Get wet getting car seat out of truck. Put car seat on stroller, baby in car seat, buckle, and 360 degree protect from wind, rain, sleet, and hail with stroller/carseat combo shade thingamajigs. So I walked and got poured down on, and pumpkin stayed perfectly dry.
Then we got our water bill (which was humongously high because of a runny toilet), so I put her back in the stroller in the PM to pay the water bill, back up the same direction. At least it wasn’t raining, much. Sun was shining, and she got one drop on the lower part of her sleeve when it rained full bore on sun, which never ceases to amaze me. Of course I got sprinkled on, too, but that was all in fun, I suppose.
So, far, though, I haven’t driven anywhere. It’s not that I can’t, per se, it’s just that I haven’t for a while, and when I don’t I start to get paranoid I’m going to mess up and drive in the wrong lane or something. However, the last diet pepsi is beside me (caffeine free) slowly going dry and it’s almost the weekend. We have no ‘cookies’ (mum mum rice cake thingys for Keeley) in the house either and the fridge looks kind of bare. It’s time to go to the store. Sigh. no walking there.
Also my husband is bailing again on Saturday to go to a race car type thingy for his ‘type’ of car. Last time he came home starving and sun burned. I hope he remembers to put on sun screen this time, even if the temperature is cooler, it was only around 70 that day and his nose blistered. Not fun. Guess the asphalt is good at transmitting the heat. The last time he did this, I did ask if he had fun, the he was okay, and the car was okay in that order. He didn’t race but he took it around the track. Good times. They don’t have bathroom facilities, food, or any place to shelter or change a baby, so we won’t be going with any time soon. Kind of sucks that he will either be working or playing pretty much all the time soon. I REALLY want to go to Homecoming for our U in a couple of weeks, and I’m not sure he’ll turn down work, even though I’ve been hoping to go for months. It’s not a huge deal, but I haven’t done anything since my birthday which was 4 months ago. Revise that, we did go to a movie in July with his sister. I haven’t done anything except have surgery by myself in almost a year, though, a trip once a month to the grocery store on my own after baby in bed doesn’t count, does it? All in all, the next few weeks will be insane if he continues working these hours and I need to drive instead of walk. Maybe tomorrow I will go to the grocery store. Now if I could just get up the gumption to go to the hairdresser. I keep thinking I should walk there, because then I could have the stroller, as I can’t get it in or out of the truck by myself, and Keeley would be safe and not running around playing in hair or anything. But I don’t have an appointment and they talk walk-ins but I keep putting it off. What if they’re booked and I walk for nothing? Not that I don’t already walk for nothing, but still. In 6 days it will be 2 years since I’ve had a haircut or my eyebrows waxed (and boy can you tell!).
I’m thinking of walking upstairs and beating the crap out of whoever is dropping sh*t at almost 11 at night as well. Matt keeps flinching in his sleep, but it’s right over my head in the dining area and it’s not a coat they’re dropping, either. So that’s all I have to say about walking, tonight. Now, I should walk to bed.
Jill
Note, Keeley doesn’t actually run around (thus to play in hair), but crawling very fast is the equivalent of running for her.
Stacy Wolfmeyer
For the first year and a half of Lauren’s life, whenever I needed a haircut (which is only once or twice a year) or Jacob did (like every 6 weeks) she went in the stroller. It was the only possible way to get through that. I didn’t get a haircut for the first year and a half of Jacob’s life because I was worried about taking him into the salon with the fumes. I decided for as little time that we’re in there, that’s silly. And it’s not like they spray it right on baby in stroller! I’m glad I’ve gotten more reasonable.
I have started leaving kids locked in car here and there. Not many places, mind you, but yesterday I didn’t want to get them both out in the rain for the 30 seconds it took me to run in and pay our storage unit bill. Same goes for water bill. Can’t break into a car and undo a car seat that fast! I never used to, but I’ve started to see that isn’t always bad. But you do what you’re comfortable with.
Hey, I’m going to Sterling for an overnight today, Markless, and hopefully my parents can pretend like I’m not there and take care of the kids themselves (since it was supposed to be something for just them anyway), so I may be around more to chat or play. Hope Matt has a great time this weekend, otherwise it’s silly he’s going, right?
P.S. I REALLY wanted to go to Homecoming (we haven’t always been able to get to both the parade and game, but at least got to one or the other), and we haven’t missed since we left, but Mark’s working this year. The ONE weekend he’s working in October. He’s working all of 9 days in October, and that’s one of them. Grrrrrrr……………. Make Matt take you to Homecoming. Keeley should get to hear the band, watch the parade, and hear the crack of helmets listening to her mama yell “STICK ‘EM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Her mama is fun at games! OH – and she should get to try to nosh on an ISS sandwich!!!
Pamela
you need to join a mommy & me group.
Jill
I don’t think they have any groups in our area. too small. but I have started stopping in the store every time there is a baby that reacts to Keeley, and chat with the mom for a minute. At least it’s contact!
Lisa's Chaos
I love using my bike – or feet – to get places. when hubs is gone working i typically make myself walk or bike anywhere i need to go. sounds like you are doing great!
Lara
Hi Jill,
Thanks for the comment. I’ve been keeping up with reading your blog, but haven’t made the time for regularly commenting. It’s funny because I just got a haircut last Thursday at Wal-Mart, while getting my oil changed and shopping for groceries. I left the baby with Josh for one hour and got more done than… OK, I’m not going there. But anyway – I go to work 50 hours a week, but still feel housebound because of not doing anything fun in so long. I haven’t spent a night away from home since our honeymoon – so I’m feeling your pain!