L has started rowing again. So we're seeing how this works as a family. We packed up the lot of us and headed down to the river. The plan: she spends some time on the water. I keep the baby calm and collected, fed and changed if necessary, until she comes off the water and can join us.
The reality: we decided to take the pram since we could carry all the various everythings in it. As an experiment we took the car seat attachment instead of the flat bad one. Which only took us half an hour and a few harsh words to put together. Bloody manuals which, for starters, you can't even tell if you're holding right side up. Let alone don't describe how to do things in any way which matches reality.
So we got out the door quite a bit later than expected. Fortunately London transit now publishes the bus countdown online so we knew we had 9 minutes to get the bus or we'd have to wait forever. BTW: this site alone has been changing my life since I discovered it. Mornings are so much calmer when I know when to leave the house.
It was our first time with a pram on public transport. We got it through the back doors on the bus. Turns out the wheels aren't very good at balancing the thing on the way in, so I've just been lifting it on both ends. Only a little awkward.
Transferring to the tube was easy since we only had a few stairs. Fortunately going early on Sunday morning meant things were not completely mad. We got a spot on the train to put the pram. I stood next to it, while L sat. I took pictures as a memento of her first tube ride. Halfway through the trip, L got out the babe and she fed up until we had to get out.
I'm writing this while she's sleeping on my lap in the clubhouse. She's dreaming that she's feeding and it's really cute. Much better than her brief meltdown when I started writing this. It's also really cute how she's startled every time anyone comes in the front door. And today is Open House day, so I'm enjoying lots of the cute.
The walk from Hammersmith was easy enough. We both bought coffees. I regretted not having a pram with a cup holder. I hate walking with coffee and spilling half of it on my poor burnt hand. Once we got to the club, the babe was cooed over – which is half the fun. I always enjoy people telling me what a perfect and gorgeous baby I have. I also enjoy all the smiles from perfect strangers. In a flippant way I do have to say having a baby is a complete chick magnet. In all seriousness though, I really do like how it breaks down barriers between strangers. It makes London a surprisingly friendlier place. I suspect I'll really miss it when she's older.
After all L's rowingmates finished doting, L got into the boat and rowed off. I took the babe out of the pram to show her her mother in action and waved as she rowed off.
Then she melted down, of course. I had enough time to do a little bit of walking before I realised she was inconsolable and needed changing. I am so glad the club installed the nice new disabled loo with the changing table. It took forever even with all the facilities. She was all bundled up for the trip outside, and getting all that off, dealing with the reusable nappies, and getting it all back on – I'm just glad no one needed the loo. I must have been 10-15min in there.
She melted down again after I left the loo. Walking up and down stairs consoled her. I spent the rest of L's outing typing away on my phone while she slept. She started fussing when the men came in (not used to well built men I guess). L's coming off the water now. I'll go down and say hi.
We caught L while she was closing up the pontoon. I had a bit of a chat with L and her crewmates before they went off to clean up. About 2 minutes later is when the baby started bawling. I had to get out the emergency bottle and feed her. She almost made it all the way til L came back to feed her. But no. She went through all 100ml of the bottle before L came in.
After feeding and a bit of natter we tried to head home. My decision to get the bus to the train was terrible. The babe melted down while we were stuck in traffic. We were pretty sure she needed changing. We dashed off the bus and into a Giraffe, since we were pretty sure they had a changing table in there.
To cut a long story short, it tools us over 2 hours getting home with all the interruptions. I learned a number of things.
- Get on and off busses and trains backwards. The wheels work much better that way
- Any outing with a baby takes forever and will drain all your energy
- Whenever the baby does a huge bottle feed, that's one huge mass of milk stuck in her mum's breasts. If the mother can't pump, that's one rather uncomfortable train ride home
- I can completely handle her for a few hours if I have enough supplies.
- and finally, I will gush about anything to do with my child. Perhaps I should gush on this blog more so my real-world acquaintances won't have to put up with stories of the wonderful way she can hold up her onesie when she's being changed.
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