Photo Source: Pinterest

Nappies? Check.
Bottle? Check.
Beaker for water? Check.
Snacks? Check.
Change of clothes (just in case!)? Check.
Bag? Check.
Purse? Check.
Buggy? Check.
Blanket? Check.
Favourite Toy? Check.

I feel like I am forgetting something....

Oh shit! the baby!

Ok so I haven't done the last bit yet (though it is common and happens to the best of us!) but does this sound familiar to all the parents out there? I remember being pregnant and me and hubby were watching a John Bishop stand up DVD; the one where he explains the difference between going out without kids and going out when you have kids. Have you seen it? He goes on about if a friend rings you on a Sunday and asks if you want to come for a pub lunch, childless people say 'yes', put down the phone and just walk out the house? If you haven't seen it then watch it it because is funny and true! (plus this paragraph will make a whole load more sense!) We watched and both laughed and gulped at how much our life was about to change!

Don't get me wrong, we love the change but OH MY GAAAWD, how I miss those days where I could literally be like 'I think I might go out' and then off I would go! How was I ever held up or late before being a parent? How? What on earth was I doing? I relish those days or nights where I go out on my own even if it is just to do a food shop, it is so nice to just pick up my keys and bag and nothing else and walk out. It is so nice to drive with my music on louder than I normally would have it. It is so nice to pull into a space and not worry about how much room there is to get a little person out and it is so nice to get out of the car, shut the door, lock it and walk off. Bliss.

When I have to be somewhere for a certain time I have to start planning the trip from the house to the car about an hour before. Bag packing takes ages now because Savannah is so active and wants attention so I am constantly stopping what I need to do to play with her, entertain her, watch her, pick her up and all in between. I have to remember more items because she doesn't just have a bottle now, she has meals, snacks and water, I also need to remember toys and what not so she doesn't get bored. I should really have arms like Madonna by now with all the lifting her in and out of cars and pushchairs as well as picking her up umpteen times a day and then there is collapsing and storing the buggy in the boot. Talking of buggy's, you can guarantee that when you're out somewhere and someone is wanting your parking space and therefore waiting for you, the buggy suddenly decides not to cooperate. You're kicking it, banging it, swearing at it, bribing it and basically making yourself look insane just to get the bloody thing in the car boot.

Ah kids... we love em, but for little people they don't half come with a lot of baggage.