Mobility?

Is there an easier way?

I haven't yet figured out how new parents ever leave the house. You have a limited amount of time between feedings in which to fit outings, so you have to be quick, but it's impossible to BE quick when you have to prepare the baby and gather and do the multitude of THINGS necessary to step outside with a baby.

Take this morning. Aaron left the House early, so walking the dogs was up to me. I had to get Emelia appropriately bundled to go outside on a slightly damp and chilly morning. That went fine. Then there was the issue of how to get two leashed dogs, a 23 pound stroller, and Emelia outside all at once. It took some maneuvering and a couple of trips, but I managed that, as well. By this time, we were already ten minutes into the process, and we hadn't actually gone anywhere. The ENTIRE process for a dog walk USED to take about ten minutes!

This was my first outing on my own with the dogs and the stroller. I think it was probably entertaining to watch. The stroller was weaving all over the sidewalk because I'm not used to steering it with one hand and holding the dogs' leashes in the other. The dogs don't know how to walk with the stroller, either, so they kept getting bumped. Nora finally got frustrated and walked as far away from the stroller as she could with the leash. Junebug managed better by just staying at my side, but none of us were comfortable with the situation.

We got through the walk and made it back into the house fairly uneventfully, but it took a REALLY long time. Given the other outings I've done this week, this is a definite trend. Going anywhere, with or without the dogs or the stroller, is a production. It's almost daunting enough to keep me from ever leaving the house again! There has to be an easier way!