I remember the first time I left the house alone with my baby. It took only slightly more preparation than getting ready for my Senior Prom.
I was going to Target. I started packing the night before. It was really hard to decide which three outfits with coordinating bibs and socks I needed. But finally I decided to go with an entire duck theme for the whole trip and that really helped to ease my anxiety.
Besides the three coordinating duck outfits, I carried into Target ten diapers, six baby toys that my newborn was still too young to play with, three burp cloths (with embroidered ducks on them), two different kinds of diaper rash cream (you just never know when the Mother of All Rashes might break out), one Baby Bjorn carrier, two Boppy nursing pillows, and one baby. I considered bringing an Exersaucer, but decided that might be too much.
I spent fifteen minutes in the store and purchased one tube of hemorrhoid cream and a jumbo bag of chocolate.
But I emerged from the store with such a sense of pride and accomplishment–feeling like a butterfly that had sprouted wings–I thought someone might give me a medal or a gold star as I lumbered gracefully over the shimmering asphalt parking lot. And I didn’t even mind that it took me a full 45 minutes to collapse and unload my stroller and get all my (obscene amounts) baby gear stowed away in the trunk of my car.
First time out alone with baby? Mission accomplished.
