PANTS OFF PARTY

Serious Ryder...

Happy Ryder

Yesterday, Ryder and I met up with 3 other girls and their sons from our Baby Class for a walk in the park. 2 of the ladies had strollers and 2 of us had our babies in carriers. This was my first walk with other people, away from home with the carrier and I was torn as to what I should bring with me for gear. With the stroller it's easy, just attach the diaper bag to the handles and away ya go. With the carrier it is different. There are no pockets on it (something I will get my mom to sew for me when I see her next) which makes it difficult to bring even my phone or a doggy bag with me on our walks. When I leave from home to go for walks, it's not a problem since I'm never really that far away from my change table, however walking downtown is a little trickier. I really didn't want to carry my huge diaper bag, so I found a large purse in the closet that I thought would make the perfect "diaper bag to go." The purse had one long shoulder strap that I could wear across my chest, overtop of the carrier so it would be comfortable. I carefully pondered exactly which items I would need to carry with me. Necessities only! I packed 2 diapers, the wipes, the vaseline, an extra onesie, a small blanket, my wallet and my cell phone.

I had planned things as close to perfect as I could. Ryder had been fed and he had had his awake time, he was ready for a nap, being in the carrier was a perfect place for that. I figured by the time we hit the coffee shop, he'd be ready to eat while us ladies drank our coffees, perfect...or not.

I showed up at the meeting spot with Ryder happily sleeping in the carrier, ready to walk, but one of the other ladies needed to feed her baby on a bench before we even started. I watched nervously as the minutes ticked by, I really didn't want to have to stop the whole walk to feed Ryder and this unexpected event was messing with my perfect timing! I rocked from foot to foot, hoping to keep Ryder sleeping. It worked and after 10 or 15 mins, we were on our way. It was fantastic walking and talking with other mothers who were going through all the same things together! Before we knew it, we arrived at the coffee shop, but because it was such a beautiful, sunny day, we opted to keep going and hit the coffee shop on the way back. I was happy to keep walking, but began to get anxious as Ryder stirred in the carrier. Just as we hit the turn around point, Ryder was in full, "MOM, I'M STARVING" mode. I tried to ignore it, stuffing the soother in his mouth, but eventually even the soother couldn't keep his voice muffled and I couldnt' take it anymore. Rather than have everyone stop, I announced that I was going to have to rig up my carrier so that I could feed Ryder on the go. Now I have done this a couple of times before, and I really want to master it, but I was hoping to practice at home alot more. Ideally, I would not have picked a public bike path as a place to practice breast feeding on the move. Opportunity presented itself though, so I plastered on a confident smile, and headed for a bench where I could get "organized." I make a habit of wearing two shirts at all times. Usually a tank top with a Tshirt over top. This way, I can pull up the T-shirt without bearing my belly and pull down the tank top, and unsnap the nursing bra without revealing too much. I worked my T-shirt up over my boobs, no easy feat, considering it was under the carrier and Ryder's weight. My tank top pulled down easily. Before unsnapping the bra, I loosened the carrier, turned Ryder sideways and in an awkward, very ungraceful move, shoved his head onto my exposed boob. When I was sure he was latched on, I snugged up the carrier and stood up with a proud kind of "voila" motion and rejoined my friends for the walk. We made it to the coffee shop with Ryder attached to my tit, nursing happily.

We slid into a large booth, and since Ryder was still eating, one of the other ladies bought my coffee for me. By the time everyone else was seated, drinking coffee and feeding their babies, Ryder was done...eating that is. I relaxed, then, in the booth and drank my coffee with a happy, full baby in my lap. Didn't take long for my "full" baby to become my "empty" baby, if you know what I mean....so empty infact that most of what he had just eaten has spurted out of the leg hole of his diaper, soaked through his brand new shorts and smeared on my hand that was holding him, ewwwwwww! Ofcorse, in my little "to go" diaper bag, I had NOT packed extra pants! Ryder had effectively turned this little outing into a "pants off" party!

Ryder with no pants!

The afternoon was my first outing with other mothers and babies. I now understand that babies run the show. That it's not a big deal if a baby has to eat or poop or cry, it doesn't ruin the walk, it turns the walk into an event. Moms are flexible, patient and have a sense of humor and they stick together even when one of the kids doesn't wear pants!!!

Ryder laughing outloud cause the only people who worry about pants are adults, babies don't care!!!!!