My First Solo Outing With a Newborn

As I mentioned in my last post, Ezzy has already been out and about running errands with Joe and I. However, when it's just the two of us, I've been limiting our outings to stroller walks around the neighborhood. Mostly I have a fear that I'll be running errands and make it to the back of the store, as far away from the exit as possible, and Ezzy will choose that moment to let out one of his banshee screams. And then I'll have to walk past an entire store full of people staring at me like I'm the worst mother ever. Somehow this seems less daunting if Joe is there. At least then we can share the evil looks people give us and laugh about it later. Deep down I know most of this is probably just in my head and most people will be sympathetic to a new mom with a screaming newborn. However, it's not a totally unfounded fear. My younger bro used to throw tantrums in public while I was watching him and I definitely still remember those looks and the few rude people who actually made comments.

So I may be a little traumatized from my earlier babysitting experiences, but I really wasn't looking forward to the two doctor appointments I had set up this week (one for Ezzy and one for me). Especially not after our perfect little angel was replaced by a screaming frenzied little demon this past Tuesday and Wednesday. On a normal day he only cries when he's hungry, and as long as he gets food he's happy. And he normally gives us a few warning cries before he works up to full-on hysterical screams. But for those two days he would go from dead asleep to screaming bloody murder with no warning at all. And when I tried to feed him he would latch on for a minute and then pause from his eating to let out another blood-curdling scream and then go back and forth between eating and screaming. So yeah, I was not looking forward to bringing him out into society in that state.

Thankfully all my worrying was for nothing because he returned to his normal perfect self by Thursday, just in time for his first doctor appointment. He wound up sleeping through most of it and saved his screams for a few minutes in the car on the ride home. I even got to stop at a drive-thru for an iced tea, which is my biggest luxury these days. Friday's appointment went equally well, and everyone commented on what a great baby he is. Maybe next week I'll work up the courage to attempt the grocery store or Target by ourselves.