Getting Things Done

We are all looking forward to Mary and Dick's visit from Wisconsin - they arrive this evening and it will be great to have Mary back and to introduce Winston to his Grandpa.

The Lofgrens are back from their world traveling and Joy, Alex and Brixton met Winston for the first time on Monday. These pictures are angelic (Joy and Kirk's children are absolutely beautiful inside and out). It was wonderful to catch up with Joy - I've missed her this summer.Joy volunteered to babysit for 20 minutes while I ran a few errands. The relative efficiency of running errands on my own during the day made me reflect on perhaps the most startling discovery of parenthood (at least for Dave and me): how complicated it is to get even the simplest tasks done.

A case study to illustrate (sorry, the MBAer in me can't help but provide a case study to underscore this revelation):

A quick stop at the grocery store to pick up milk, etc. is a daunting series of events that must be coordinated with precision. What used to take 15 minutes now takes an hour.

A drive to the market must include the following:

• It must be scheduled in between 2-3 hour feedings (and each feeding takes an hour so really, there is only 1-2 hours in which to execute);
• it must be done when baby is calm with a clean diaper;
• child must be clothed (and this child does not like wardrobe changes);
• make sure the diaper bag is fully stocked and don't forget the pacifier;
• find the keys and the wallet and cell phone and mentally run through the checklist of things to do;make sure you are fully clothed and don't look like a vagrant;
• strap baby in his carrier;
• get out the door with the baby carrier, diaper bag, keys, and wallet and cell phone in case of emergencies;
• unlock the car and open all the doors so you don't bake the baby in the Florida sun (or accidently lock baby in the car by accident);
• lock baby carrier into car seat;
• drive;
• park;
• unload baby into Baby Bjorn (or risk severe back strain by lugging the baby carrier into the store);go into store and hopefully you have the list of items to buy or else wander around until enlightenment occurs;
• have at least 1-2 lovely conversations with strangers about baby;
• endure at least one inane comment such as "oh my god, is that baby real?" (seriously, this was said to me at the library last week);
• checkout, and hopefully there is only 1 or 2 bags so you can carry it yourself;
• back to the car and open all the doors and then transfer baby from Bjorn into car seat;
• drive;
• park;
• unload baby, diaper bag, etc. and finally...home.

Mission accomplished.

I now truly appreciate the "drive through" services that are offered here in Miami!! Dave and I always used to laugh at the drive through convenience store but now I understand at a very profound level why it is so darn important to have these services available).

That said, Winston, Dave and I have devised our own set of strategies for balancing the need to get things done around the house with the more important need to love and nurture the baby and keep him under our watchful eyes at all times. A photo from laundry day (don't be too horrified...at least he's resting on the clean towels).