Venturing Out

First time officially out and about!

Contemplating an abundance of new and exciting things she saw...

We've been getting mixed advice on when to venture out with Emma Vance, and so after two and a half weeks of being mostly stuck at home, Ryan and I decided that Sunday was The Day. Being in the ER and realizing that E.V.'s world is way too small (our home and doctors' offices) gave me an urge to expand her horizons. Her first destination? Harry's/Whole Foods, of course!

Sunday is Grocery Day here at the Shove household (mainly because it coincides with Sample Day--two birds, one stone), and it's felt a bit "off" while we haven't been able to follow this ritual since Emma Vance came home. She hasn't gotten any shots quite yet, so we were unsure of how to navigate the outside world and keep her out of harm's (read: "germs'") way. A lot of our friends have been advising us to take her out ASAP because she's so easy to carry and sleepy still, and the other "lot" of our friends have been telling us to avoid public places and thus unnecessary sickness. After some careful consideration, we figured that we'd figuratively stamp "Do NOT Touch" across her forehead, avoid prolonged conversations with strangers ooh-ing over our baby, and complete a needed household task during a quick trip to our favorite grocery store.

She was fabulous, of course, taking in all of the new sights and sounds with eager eyes. We opted to take her pram so that she could see everything clearly (versus carrying her), which was fun but definitely opened her up to voyeuristic shoppers. I thought that being pregnant attracted strangers' comments, but actually having the baby with you? Way more public interaction than just having a belly! People's comments were mostly of the "How cute!" variety, but we did have a woman note that two and half weeks was too young to venture out. Sigh. Can't please everyone all of the time, right?

I did pick E.V. up for a little bit while we strolled the wine and beer section, which seemed to be her favorite area (hopefully because of her interest in the shiny, reflective glass and NOT as an indicator of her future tendencies :) ). She was fascinated by every new object, and I felt so happy to help her explore somewhere other than our house or a medical space. As we wandered around, Ryan pushing the cart while I pushed the baby, I couldn't help but get excited about taking her other places. The park this summer, the mall when it rains, Burt's Pumpkin Patch in the fall, friends' houses for weekday play dates... Everything is literally new to her, and watching her take it all in gives me renewed excitement in everyday outings.

We were in and out in less than an hour with no major melt downs or drama, and as we walked the last of the groceries and Emma Vance through our front door, the skies opened up with a summer storm. Our big adventure was over, the baby ready to sleep and dream of her newly expanded world, so we settled in, dogs and all, for a restful evening as a happy little family. Sigh. Can't wait until next Sunday to do it all again...