It wasn't raining when we headed out, but it sure looked like it could start spewing from the skies at any time. I wrapped Ryder in two blankets, put a tuque on his head, the soother in his mouth, velcroed the plastic cover closed, grabbed a leash for Scout and headed OUTSIDE!!! I walked happily down the paved paths in our neighbourhood, so pleased with my sleeping baby and my well behaved dog. I was LOVING having this rain cover, thinking to myself what freedom is was giving me. Though, I love to "wear" Ryder in a carrier when I walk, there are times, like when the weather sucks, that a stroller is more practical. I especially loved the stroller when I took off my hoodie and mitts and had somewhere inside the stroller, to stash them. There are times, I've seen ladies at the mall, wearing their babies and pushing a stroller. "silly," I've thought to myself. Why bring a stroller if you are just gonna carry your kid? "I will never do that," I thought outloud to myself today as I happily pushed my baby in his stroller, "I will always commit, one way or the other. Either I will wear my baby or I will push him." I had barely thought that thought when my peacefully sleeping "bundle of joy" woke up. He blinked his eyes a few times, looked up at me through the plastic rain cover and began to WAIL!!! I was shocked! According to my calculations, I had at least one hour before he should have been hungry, it was nap time and he wasn't too hot or too cold. Technically there was no reason for him to be awake...or so pissed off!! I calmly stopped the stroller, opened the little plastic window, stuffed the soother back in his mouth and continued on my way. The wheels had barely spun around once when he spit out the soother and an ear splitting sound left his little lungs! I played the "stuff the soother back in his mouth" game for what seemed like an eternity before I stopped the stroller, stared at his slowly red turning head and pulled him out. I attempted to burp him, kiss him, bounce him and convince him that we were still a half hour from home and the quickest way there was with him INSIDE the fun, fun stroller. Scout was being incredibly patient throughout this ordeal. I had to let her off her leash if she was gonna get any exercise as I seemed to be doing a lot of start, stopping. Scout stayed close by and even offered a few friendly kisses to the crying boy too...they didn't help. When I thought he was calm, I put him back in the stroller and began walking again. Within seconds the wailing started up again. This was making me distraught as Ryder doesn't normally just scream and cry for no reason. He's actually a very happy go lucky kinda guy, only crying when he is starving or tired....he was probably both at this point, but he was gonna have to wait until we got home to eat. I pulled him out of the stroller again, held him in my left arm facing out, put my right hand on the stroller handle and began pushing. Ryder was happy as could be, looking all around, taking in the sights. Me? I was sweating like crazy, struggling to hold this 14 pound weight, pushing a stroller up hill with one eye on the dog. I could only maintain this little "workout" for the distance of 2 lamp posts before my left arm began to shake. I had no choice, I had to make another attempt at getting my little "bundle of joy" back into the stroller. I quietly layed his relaxed little body down on the super soft, comfy mattress and resumed the pushing position...that lasted about 1 minute before his cries escalated to an ear piercing level. Frustrated, I once again stopped, pulled him out of the stroller, draped him over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes and continued up this ever steepening hill! I had to laugh at myself. I must have been quite a disheveled sight, pushing my stroller, carrying my baby, hollering at my wandering dog. Now I know why those ladies bring their carriers even if they have a stroller. Ryder would have been a lot less awkward in the carrier than over my shoulder. All kinds of thoughts ran through my head, about the lesson I was teaching him, "cry and I'll carry you. Cry and you'll get your way. Cry and you don't have to do what you don't want...." believe me, I thought of them all and I didn't care...eventually though, my shoulder gave up and we reached a busy street. I had to leash my dog and put the kid back in the stroller. Yep, he cried and cried and spit the soother out, but I realized very quickly that the plastic rain cover muted the sound and the busy traffic, made his noises all but dissapear. For the rest of the way home, I plastered a smile on my face, went deep into my "happy place," tried to put on the facade of a mother happy to be outside on this cloudy day with her baby and her puppy and hurried my ass the rest of the way home. By the time I got there, guess what? Ryder was fast asleep.....figures!!!
Anyway, we survived and I will make another attempt, but I think I will bring my carrier, just in case......
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