I don't even know where to start, so maybe we'll just start with today.

Charlotte is almost two weeks old (adorably) and Claire is still two-and-three-quarters (somewhat regrettably).

Claire was, er, hmm. How do I put this nicely so she doesn't apply for emancipation when she's a teenager?  Claire was very difficult the first few days we were home from the hospital and she went on "vacation" to Grammie and Colonel's house for 5 days last week. She came home yesterday and she missed us and we missed her, oh yes we did, but the break was nice for everyone. I'm not sure if it reset expectations or if she simply needed massive amounts of attention and time to get used to her new reality, but we had a very pleasant day today, just the three of us, and I was so happy for that. One nice day makes up for a lot of unpleasant ones.

***

I took both of them to Walmart this morning and it was fine, really it was, except for the part where the carts are not frakking big enough to put an infant carrier AND groceries in it. Really, am I missing something strategic about grocery shopping with the child and the baby so that I end up taking actual food home with me? We get one of those carts where Claire can ride on the end close to me in a little seating area. She can hop in and out at will and she's very well behaved about the whole thing.

But then what to do with Charlotte? I'm not quite good enough with the Moby Wrap to venture out in public and yet...I can't think of any other solution than dropping the carseat into the cart. (And you'd better believe I'm not putting on TOP of the cart over the kiddie seat. The tippy-crash nightmares I have about that setup are chilling.)

So, basically what I am telling you is that I spent TWO HOURS getting everyone fed and dressed in a coordinated manner this morning so that we could all go to Walmart and buy not enough food for even a week because it wouldn't fit in the stupid cart. This is not something I am interested in repeating, so I am really hoping someone will tell me what I did wrong.

***

The tumor-type-thing on Jake's leg is already growing back. I can see it from a few feet away, wobbling around on his thigh. It's maybe the size of a walnut, which isn't all that big but considering it was mostly gone less than two months ago, that seems like rather rapid growth to me. I had finally kind of forgotten about that whole incident and let myself passively believe that he'll live another five years and then...yeah. We'll watch it and see how he responds.

***

And....yes. That might be all the interesting content I can come up with tonight. Here! Look at some pictures!

Comments

[Tara]

Baby Bjorn? Eriana was an awesome shopper when she was new in the Bjorn.

Also, your girls are so, so beautiful! And you look great!

[Jessica]

I am SO HAPPY you had a good day. It gives me hope that if everything goes wrong toddler-wise when the new baby is born, at least we might have some good days...

[Sarah in Ottawa]

Hooray for good days!

I have no advice other than the 'wear the baby' thing. Well, that's not true. My REAL advice is what I do - shop in the evenings/any time that Dave or my parents can watch both kids and do a quick run myself. I also enjoy Costco with its double carts which are great for when Charlotte can sit unassisted but not so hot now.

[Theresa]

I second the Bjorn or the Ergo. I have both and they are really good carriers. It makes shopping much more enjoyable.

[Mom]

2 carts, push the girls pull the groceries

[Vanessa Napolitano]

I love the ergo with the infant insert and I wish I had it when she was really tiny. The insert helps when they're really small and still want to froggie their legs. I also had the bjorn, but it would hurt my shoulders after awhile and this puts all the weight on your hips. You could where it all day and not get sore.

http://www.ergobabycarriers.com/babycarriers/category/accessories/

They can even nurse in there and there's a privacy flap for shade or nursing. I never used it to nurse, but would have been nice.

[Vanessa Napolitano]

Not like I'm a spokes person or anything. Geez.

[Courtney]

Several moms I know RAVE about the Ergo. I've seen them on babysteals for around $70 before, but figure I should probably get pregnant first before buying more baby gear ;-)

[Meghan]

Ergo, ergo, ergo. Yeah it's pricey but worth every penny. It lives in the car and I use it whenever we go shopping.

That close up picture of her is just beautiful.

[HereWeGoAJen]

I'm telling you, I am going to start a boarding school for toddlers and it will make me rich. In Claire's honor, I will offer a special "new sibling" deal where toddlers can stay for a just a week or two.

On the rare occasion where Elizabeth wants to sit and play in the basket part of the cart, I've had reasonable success with stacking things on the bottom of the cart. You know those plastic bins that I use to organize my house? They are about the size of a shoebox that a big pair of boots would come in. You could grab a couple of those and stack those on the bottom of the cart and fill them up with groceries. Otherwise just stack the lightweight groceries on top of the baby.

By the way, all three of you are pretty.

[Dr. Maureen]

I love my Ergo, but I hated the infant insert, so I don't use it till the baby is old enough to go right in. Oh, baby carriers. So many conflicting opinions, as with all baby things. But I'd say just practice with the Moby - or else find one you like, I like the pocket sling style - and use that because then you have one cart and two free hands. :)

[BigP's Heather]

When Katherine was that small I just used ring slings. Cheap, easy to make...

Now, I just do all my shopping while she is at her preschool two days a week. Otherwise I get nothing accomplished besides digging out what she has thrown in the cart or entertaining her instead of looking at actual groceries.

BOO about the tumor.

Love the photos.

[Mama Bub]

Wearing the baby was the only thing that really worked for me at that point. Well, the better option is going to the store without the kids, but that's obviously not always possible. One time, I had both a stroller and a cart. She wasn't quite big enough that I felt comfortable with the Ergo, but I NEEDED a cart full of groceries. My three year old pushed the stroller. It was about as awesome as it sounds.

[Life of a Doctor's Wife]

I... never thought about the grocery thing. But holy shopping carts, that sounds like some sort of impossible brain teaser. Hopefully there is some easy solution and it will be better next time!

Your girls are adorable.

[Elizabeth]

None of it works too well, but I will tell you our various options:
1. kid in front seat of cart, baby in infant car seat in the back of the cart, stack food all around and underneath.

2. baby in the infant car seat snapped over the kid part of the cart, kid walking, food in cart. (Kid acts horrible, mom wishes she was dead.)

3. Go when the older kid is in preschool, during baby's nap time, baby is inconsolable because she wants to be asleep.

4. baby in carrier like the baby bjorn, kid in cart (only works for the amount of time baby can be in infant carrier, and I hated the stupid Ergo, for what it's worth.)

5. Make other parent go, put one kid in each cart.

6. Go to target and overpay for groceries because they have double carts where two kids can sit.

7. Go on Saturday morning by yourself.

[Elsha]

When Will was still in an infant seat I would put his car seat on the child seat area (you can get it wedged in there pretty good) and let Kalena sit in the basket. She was willing to hold stuff, so I could fit more back there. I'm all for babywearing, but when the baby falls asleep in the car, no way am I getting him out to put him in a carrier.

I won't lie though, I mostly avoided shopping by myself with both kids. In fact, I still do and Will is 18 months old now.

[pseudostoops]

I am disappointed to see there is no magic answer to using the infant seat and a shopping cart, because I've been wrestling with this exact same problem. At this point I just use the stroller, and put the groceries in the basket underneath. Which means I can buy, oh, 1.5 days' worth at a time. Awesome.

[Home Sweet Sarah]

You look great, lady!

Also, Chris seems to think infant car seats were made to go on top of the kiddie seat in shopping carts, which basically means he's not allowed to go shopping with Lael alone. This terrifies me. When I went shopping yesterday, I just sat her in the cart (in her car seat) and piled groceries around here. It was terribly inefficient, not to mention very precarious when I got to the booze section and had run out of room.

[Molly P]

I'm with you on all fronts. 10 month old and a 27 month old. Where do they go? I shop at night. Or I put the baby in the cart basket and stuff food all around his car seat and underneath. He usually winds up happily holding a bag of puffs.

And ditto on the sibling adjustment front. We actually went through TWO adjustments. One when baby O arrived home: meltdowns, tantrums, regression. That passed fairly quickly and turned into dangerous love- squeeze-hug baby to death, pile toys on top of baby until baby suffocates, stuff baby into toy stroller, etc. We still can't leave them alone together. The second adjustment occurred once baby O started to crawl and cruise and could take the toddler's toys. That's brought on new meltdowns and challenges. We try to teach sharing, but sometimes we sympathize, and give her tricks, like keeping her favorite toys on the table where baby O can't reach. Good luck!

[Molly P]

PS Someone suggested to me that I keep a bag of small, $1 presents and/or new books on hand for my toddler during nursing sessions. This really worked. I'd sit with baby on my lap and toddler next to me and let the toddler choose a new toy/book, so that she might see those times as special.

And, I also admit that I sometimes pretended to chastise the baby and put her in "time-out" to equalize things.

[Erin G]

I think your only options for shopping are:

1.) Baby carrier for Charlotte, front cart seat for Claire. I shopped this way for MONTHS with my babes.

2.) Car seat on cart for Charlotte (I know it makes you cringe, but some really do clip on and work fine) and Claire standing on the front hanging on (also cringe-worthy, also totally doable).

3.) Send hubby for all grocery errands until Claire is back in childcare and you can do it with only one kid.

4.) Shop in the middle of the night when you're up anyway, with only one kid.

5.) That's it, I'm out of ideas. But Charlotte is a beautiful baby!!!

[Pippi]

I'm another Ergo lover. I froggied my daughter's legs in it and didn't even use the insert and it worked just fine. Also, can you use the stroller instead of a cart? I'm a city dweller so that's how I do all my shopping. I can get almost a week's worth of groceries in my Maclaren using the basket and a big bag hanging on the handles. It's not as much capacity as a grocery cart, but it might be more capacity than a grocery cart with two kids ;)

[Mel]

I'm reading all your comments about the Ergo. I want one. If you wind up getting one, please review it. I tried the Bjorn with L and neither of us ever liked it. Walmart with a newborn is brave. You are awesome. You do have a nice Walmart though, mine is freaking SCARY.

Grocery shopping with 2 kids in general frightens me. I think I've already determined I am going to do all my shopping at night-time.