This morning I took the kids to a playground that’s about 1.5 miles from our house, much of which I can walk along a lovely canal path. It’s a great playground for kids Katherine’s size, and it promised to be a gorgeous day. My goal was to keep us there until I’d finally worn Katherine out, since on previous trips I’d only been able to stay just long enough for Katherine to get attached . . . and thus scream bloody murder when we had to leave. Well, I stayed close to two hours today and she still wasn’t done, so we had some more screaming, but the look of delight on her face when I would push her on the swing was worth it. It’s now warm enough for me to take Nathaniel out and about pretty easily, so we had a great morning. Although I love our backpack, it was great just being able to push the two in the stroller once play time was over, particularly since I added about twenty pounds in groceries on our way home.
While I was at the park another mom complimented me on being out and about with both kids and asked a few questions about how I was faring with them. She is expecting her second in a few months and was hoping to get some sense for what her new life would be like. I was glad to give her confidence that, yes, one can go out with two kids, but I also remember the shape I was in after Katherine was born, and that there was no way I’d have been able to take her out on such a trip even when it was just her! So I found myself, once again, treading the line between “You can do it! Go get your sunshine!” and “Don’t count on it. And don’t beat yourself up if you can’t!” So much depends on the kids . . . and also, perhaps, on your desperation for time outside and your tolerance for public embarrassment 🙂
Erin
Alan Schmierer