Day 26 : Do Stuff

You know what? I've not been anywhere, alone, with both of my children, except for home. If I take them anywhere, it's to go to a place where there are other adults for reinforcement. I just haven't figured out how to do it. Ezra is in a bulky infant car carrier that weighs a ton and kills my arm. Judah has never been a hand holder and has become a runner and is generally noncompliant in all things that conflict with his immediate desires. {In other words, he's 2. Almost.} So I have this image in my head that I'm going to be lugging a giant carseat in one hand and wrangling a toddler with the other and everyone in the whole store/library/park will turn, shake their heads, tut-tut-tut, and take away the Mother of the Year award that I already lost yesterday...and the day before...and the day before. The other image is a true fear that something horrible would happen to one or both of my children because I couldn't keep them both safe at the same time.

But here's the real. First, I know that I don't have to lug one and tug the other. I have other means of transporting my kids through the grocery store. Second, I'm not going to take them any place dangerous, like a pet store. {Seriously, do you know how many tears there would be when we couldn't stay forever...or worse, take one of those animals home!?! I mean, we have a beta fish and I barely remember to feed it.} I just need to get over my big fat fears and DO STUFF.

Last week, I was very intentional about doing stuff with our kids away from home. With other people, of course!  On Tuesday, our little foursome-family went to a pumpkin patch. Wednesday, we went to the zoo with my friends and their kids. And, you know what? It was fun! It wasn't too much, too crazy, but it got us out of the house and allowed us the chance to make some memories.

Pumpkin patch. Judah says, "I'm done."

"Will you take a picture with Mommy?"
"Nooooooooooooo."

"I'm doooooooooooooooooooone."

Doing a little hay bale climbing at the zoo.

Making mud soup in the Mud Cafe at the NC Zoo.

"Can I take your picture?"
"Yeah, but make it quick. The bad guys are coming."

A little group photo. Other adult seen to the left. {Thanks, Sananda!}

The thing is, though, I can't always only go places if another adult is with me. I'm going to have to go the store or the park with them both eventually! So, that's a goal of mine this week - take my kids somewhere, by myself. A place where we have to get out of the car. Right now I am thinking the toddler story time at our library or Starbucks. Judah loves Starbucks, so I think I'd have his cooperation.

What does this have to do with "Not Forgetting"? Well, several things. One. I can't forget that life happens outside of our home, too. Two. The story I can tell my kids one day, "I'll never forget the first time I took you both somewhere by myself..." Three. I can't forget that I really am more than capable of doing it. Four. I loved going places as a child and still do today. I've always looked forward to going somewhere. Whether it was somewhere small, like the grocery store, or somewhere big, like another country, I enjoyed getting out. I want my kids to have that same feeling - of being excited about adventures big and small. Plus, the more that we are in public, the better they learn how to interact with the world that they live in.

So this week, I'm going to do stuff.

Don't forget to do stuff, too!

I'd love to know what stuff you do this week! Plus, if you have any tips on taking two young boys out in public with no other adult back-up, PLEASE SHARE! (See it's in bold...so I'm serious. TELL ME.}

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This is the twenty-sixth post in the series 31 Days of Not Forgetting.

If you'd like to read previous posts in the series, click here and scroll to the bottom.