Independence Day!

Happy 4th of July!

Coincidentally, on this independence day weekend I happened to have a conversation with a new mommy of a sweet two month old baby boy. It reminded me of the early days with Baby Jack and how the most simple act of running an errand or getting out of the house became a full blown project. By the time the baby was fed and changed and I was ready to go, he was either sleeping, due to eat again in the next 1/2 hour or had just pooped his pants (and usually his outfit and mine!).

The fact that I was homebound for so long started to make me more than a little bit stir crazy. Despite the large amount of effort, energy and frustration that goes into trying to leave the house - I highly recommend doing it! The only caveat to that you DON'T wake a sleeping baby from a nap to run an errand... let sleeping babies sleep! Any other time though, get yourself and your little one out of the house. It will do you a world of good just to get some new scenery and fresh air.

Good areas for short small trips in the Hilton Head area are coffee shops - Starbucks on the South End of the Island by Publix, Java Joe's in Coligny, Barnes and Noble (good for perusing the parent books when you need another person's perspective - aside from the authors of the parenting books you already have :). The B&N is on the North End of the Island and has a coffee shop in their store. All have both indoor and outdoor seating. For Bluffton - I recommend the coffee shop 'The Corner Perk' . It is a great independent coffee shop with couches, great coffee, teas and snack options. They also have very delicious smoothies!

So to all the new mommies - assert your independence! Get you and your baby out and about! It gets easier and easier the more you do it! Either that or you just get used to it ... I now throw a sweater on if Jack spits up on my shirt  and give him a good wipe down - as opposed to costume changes for both of us - no one will ever know the difference!