We can do this

Bob departed again this morning (Saturday) for work (I started typing this late Saturday night). This time he'll be away until Thursday. I woke up determined to make this week a success and to face some of the fears I've had recently - namely taking the baby out of the house for more than just the basic errand. My fear is that he'll launch into his inconsolable screaming fit while I'm out in public and that I won't be able to calm him down or get to the car fast enough to spare those around us from the misery that is colic. I've managed to take him to the doctor's office, the grocery store, the post office, and even the mall for a walk and I've learned that movement is key. I can't stop and browse or he stirs and starts to cry (which leads to a full out scream). Unfortunately, this applies to riding in the car too - when we stop for a light or a stop sign he starts screaming - it's brutal and stressful because I can't do anything when it happens in the car - he has to stay in his seat and I can't reach him to reinsert the pacifier or pat or rub his leg or belly or whatever.

So this morning I decided - this HAS to work. Either I need to get used to the screaming and not let it bother me so much, or I need to find ways to eliminate or reduce the screaming. The former is more likely than the latter - after all, if I knew how to eliminate or reduce the screaming I would have done it already.

The plan for the day was to pack Cooper in the car and drive down to West L.A. to pick up my "little sister", Mary, and take her to Santa Monica to get creative at a local "Color Me Mine" studio, followed by a nice lunch out - all with Cooper (colicky, acid refluxing Cooper the pooper) in tow. Sounds ambitious, I know.

I made sure I had everything I needed - a fully stocked diaper bag, a couple of bottles of formula, a swaddle blanket (I was NOT going to be stuck without my last resort option LOL), and my baby bjorn carrier with lumbar support in addition to the stroller. I assumed that only Mary would be able to work on a pottery painting project since I'd have my hands full with Cooper.

Cooper screamed for the first 15 minutes of the ride down there and then fell asleep when I started singing along to the radio. This surprised me since my singing voice makes most people cry (and NOT tears of joy) LOL. He does great on the freeway (assuming no stand-still traffic) as long as his diaper is clean and he's been fed. Once I got off the freeway the screaming resumed. I picked up Mary, reinserted the pacifier in Cooper's mouth and he promptly spit it out and resumed the screaming. I smiled at Mary and explained that he doesn't like the car to be still. She was so sweet and understanding but had that "oh no, is he gonna be like this all day!?" look on her face.

When we arrived in Santa Monica we parked the car and put Cooper's carrier in the stroller and once we started moving he calmed down. As soon as we arrived at Color Me Mine, I changed his diaper and put him in the Baby Bjorn carrier and said a silent prayer asking for a successful day. Cooper looked around the studio with his eyes wide open and I pretty much held my breath, waiting for the screaming to start. It didn't. He quickly settled in and leaned his head against my chest and fell asleep! About an hour later he stirred a bit and I fed him a bottle while he was still in the carrier and he fell right back to sleep after that! I even got to paint a piece of pottery! yay!

I figured that a good time at the studio meant we wouldn't be so lucky at lunch but we headed over to the Third Street Promenade anyway (with Cooper still asleep in the carrier) and found a cafe to have lunch. I didn't want to wake him so I kept the carrier on and sat down and we had a great lunch as Cooper slept through the whole thing until it was time to pay the check and he awoke and gave some hunger signals so I gave him the second bottle which he drank and then fell asleep again!

After lunch we headed for the car. I changed his diaper in the car and then buckled him in for the ride to drop Mary off. He promptly began to scream. (big sigh) He screamed the entire way to Mary's house. Once I pulled away from Mary's house to head back home, Cooper fell asleep and slept the entire ride on the freeway and only woke up and screamed again once I exited the freeway close to home.

So, aside from the car ride screaming, we had a SUPER day out! I'm so proud of Cooper, and of me too for getting out of the house, enjoying a visit with Mary and getting some much needed fresh air.

Once home, Cooper had another bottle and went back to sleep. I figured I'm screwed when night time arrives but here I am at midnight and he's asleep. So...I better get to sleep too haha.

Before I sign off though, I want to mention that today's outing helped me build some confidence and some additional tolerance (for the car screaming) so I'm going to plan to get him out of the house each day - even if it's just to walk at the mall. Maybe he'll get used to the car and stop screaming at every light or stop sign. But if he doesn't, at least I'll have built up some more tolerance for it - hopefully. ;)