Me & the Baby Buggy

As I don't have my own set of wheels. K has offered twice to give me a ride to the library for the Rhymetime session.  But I have always turned her down, because Daddy Low can drive us there. Since we have only just started this activity, I thought it would be nice for us to do it as a family and we usually have a nice lunch out together after that.

But if I were to ask myself honestly why I would reject such a nice offer - especially since I often feel trapped in the house - it would be that deep down, I worry that I can't work the baby buggy on my own - how to strap it into her car and how to set it up and take it down.  Ok, laugh at me if you will, but this is a perfectly legitimate and, I suspect, not an altogether unique concern for new mothers like me. A girlfren had panicked and broke down on her first solo shopping trip out, when she could not get her buggy up... and I had trembled involuntarily inside when she shared her "ordeal", thinking how it will be like when it is my turn.

Daddy Low has shown me before how to work the buggy and I have tried a few times with him standing by, but somehow, I have just not been able to get it right. And the thought of having to struggle when setting it up or keeping it to fit in the car while in the freezing cold, not to mention being under a friend's possibly incredulous scrutiny proves to be just too much for me to imagine, thus my answer "No".

But I know I can't run away from this forever and I do not want to keep saying "No" and possibly jinx the friendship, so I finally suggested to K that we go shopping together instead. After all, I reason, we would not have the pressure of having to be on time for a scheduled activity like Rhymetime and thus would have more time with the buggy.

I planned everything carefully - taking down the car seat and the chassis into the house the day before, intending to practise working it at home.  Also, I asked K to come at a time when Daddy Low was around, in case we needed his help.  When the "big day" came, my good intentions remained intentions - I neither got around to practising and Daddy Low ended up strapping the seat in the car and folding the chassis into the car, while I rushed to get ready after cooking and eating a harried lunch. 

As I waved goodbye to Daddy Low, I was fretting in my heart as to whether I could manage the buggy when we reached the shopping centre, while keeping a nonplussed face and a lively chatter with K in the car.

When we have parked, K started to get her buggy ready and I did likewise. I kept my cool and just went through in my head the steps. And I am happy to say that though I did struggle with bits of it, I mostly got the steps right. The buggy was more or less half done, except for one part where I could not get it to open up properly. Luckily, K was there to help and with a pull and a tug from her, we got it all set up. We happily went on to the shops. 

Inside, Julien was well behaved at the beginning, but started to fret and I realised he was feeling the heat with his jacket on. K's baby was ok, but Julien takes cool temperatures rather than warm ones, so I hurried to take off his jacket. There is nothing like a baby's crying in a public place to make a new mummy fall into a panic! He was alright after that, but not for long... In the changing room, I kept my curtain slightly open to keep my eye on him. And I had to talk to him the whole while, otherwise he would fidget and start fretting. This boy likes to be entertained! Argh! And after a while, he didn't want to lie down anymore and started bawling. I ended up carrying him in one arm and pushing the buggy with the other. I looked at the time and thought he might be hungry, so we hurriedly paid up and left. Out in the cold air and with the motion, Jules was soon asleep. And with no jacket on, but just a blanket over his short-sleeved top! So, he was hot and tired and wanted to sleep!

At the car, the apprehension built up in me again, as I again put on a calm exterior and proceeded to belt up the car seat and keep the chassis. And surprisingly, I did it! And Julien was still asleep. I was totally pleased with myself.

Back at my house, I thanked K profusely for a lovely afternoon. She has been most helpful and understanding, when she realised it was my first time out shopping without Daddy Low to help out.  Although we managed to see only one shop in our whole trip out, and Jules has not been the most co-operative, the whole experience has shown me that when I am put to it, I have no choice but to swim or else drown. And swim I did, even if I did not do it perfectly. It was great to know that it is doable and not as scary or hard as I thought. Now, the next step would be to do it all on my own once I have my own car. Now, that would be some adventure! For now, more practising at home and when I take more lifts. K has reminded me again to let her know if I want a lift to the library :)

Jules dressed and ready to go shopping!