"Grocery Shopping as a Mom"

Grocery shopping is now an entirely new experience for me, and I want to share with others how and why we should take a second look at all those mommy's in the store trying their best with a handful of kids. And even, lift a bag or two for them.
It is no longer an easy thing for me to do, and though I want to bless my husband with a full fridge when he get's home from work, it is such a chore to do. Here is the dilema. Carrying babies in a car seat is the most awkward and heavy thing ever! It's no wonder there are backaches all over the world! You have to carry the car seat and go get your grocery cart. You then have two choices. Put your precious baby's carseat on top of the cart, which seems scary, unsafe, and if your short like me you can't see a thing! Or, you can put the car seat in the cart, leaving no room for your groceries to fit. When Lily was smaller I would carry her in a baby carrier like a sling, but my shoulder would ache half way through the trip. So, I choose to put her in the cart and cram groceries around her. Annoying, but a must. Once you finally have everything and you check out you are presented with more dilemmas. If there is even a bagger, they put your groceries in a thousand backs which A.You don't have the hands to carry and B.don't fit anywhere on the cart. Even if you ask for Paper bags which I do because you can put more in them and it's environmentally better, they don't have handles and they still give you more bags than is necessary. Then, you are presented with getting everything out to the car since people don't carry your bags out for you anymore like they did in the old days. Once you put your baby and your one thousand bags in the car, you have to either A.put the cart away and leave your baby in the car by herself, or B. not put the cart away and get shameful looks from the public. I've done both. Now I have to say that there are two places that I want to give props to. First is Biggs in Hyde Park, because they have a front row parking spot for expecting mothers! Good job Biggs! It's hard to carry a human being in your belly and groceries at the same time! The Best however, is TRADER JOES! GOD BLESS TRADER JOES! Not only do they have paper bags with handles, but the yloaded my cart for me, they carried out the bags that didn't fit, and loaded them all into my car while I focused on getting Lily situated. Then, they took the cart back! I am so glad someone remembers what it's like to really have your hands full. So if you have the opportunity to serve a poor mother who is sweating bullets trying to keep it together, offer your help, you will be her angel for the day!

Lily turns 5 months old today! At her last check up she weighed 15 pounds and was 24 inches long. She is happy and playful, and her smiles are not just gums anymore...her two teeth poked through on the bottom two weeks ago. She is having trouble sleeping through the night due to her teething I assume. I hope it doesn't last too long since Eric & I are now used to getting a good amount of zzz's. I am starting to teach part-time again. I am really excited about it but also sad that it will nights & weekends...time away from my little family. Lily is my little audience of one as I try to choreograph for all my classes...she's diggin the Latin music I've been using lately. Eric & I went out for the first time, the Weigands babysat for us, and we went Salsa dancing with my new friend Adriana. It was so much fun and totally a unique expereince! I love immersing myself in other cultures. The rhythms, the people, the language, I totally felt I was in another world. Poor little Lily didn't have the best time (or should I say poor Steve & Lindsay). When we called to check on her she was crying and I don't think she really stopped. Well, at least Eric & I got to dance the merengue! Baby Lily will be getting Dedicated on Feb.18th at our church. I am really excited about this, it's so meaningful to me. I love tradition and symbolism and declaring our intent to raise her in Faith. Mostly, I can't wait to put her in a prettey white dress with tights & all! I am totally a mom.



If you want to see new photos of Lily, click on the following Link:

http://www.shutterfly.com/view/pictures.jsp