The Mommy Files, Chapter 2

As the weather starts to change and spring approaches, I find myself getting excited to rediscover the world outside of my house. Winter was unbearable, to put it lightly, especially for a mom of a newborn. It was too cold to take the baby anywhere and even if I attempted to take him outside, he was bundled to the point where he looked like Ralphie's brother in A Christmas Story. Not to mention the diaper bag filled with extra winter clothes in case of an emergency; it weighed more than Jack! Every time someone suggested that I get out of the house or go walk around the mall, I was hoping that they would also offer to warm up the car, get Jack dressed and pack the 10 pound diaper bag for me.

One of the obvious advantages of this warmer weather is that I can dress my son quicker, with less clothing and leave the house quickly. The first time I did this, I was ecstatic; out of the house in 20 minutes, what a new concept. Is this what it is like to live in a warm climate? After my initial excitement wore off and I was done pondering the idea of moving to California, I realized that I was standing outside with a diaper bag as light as a feather and nowhere to go. Should I get in the car and just drive around with the windows open? Wasn’t that defeating the point of enjoying the nice weather?

I decided to go back to my city days and walk, not drive, around the neighborhood. So I did just that. I hooked up the car seat to the stroller, put my car keys away and strolled. Without a destination in mind, I made a right at the corner and headed down the street.  After walking a while, I ended up at Branch Brook Park. Who knew how spacious and beautiful a park was right down the street. We drove by but never made it into the park. How can any park compare to Central Park anyway? People were enjoying the weather, having picnics, reading and taking in the scenery … great place for people watching. A nice surprise; the cherry blossom festival was going on, which I did not know about before.  One of the nicest parts about having a baby is that they look at everything with new eyes. They are mesmerized by leaves swaying in the breeze or a person jogging by in the park.  It allows you to stop and smell the roses, no pun intended. If you are a mom and have a baby, toddler or young child, I highly recommend visiting this park and taking in some of the natural beauty that is right around the corner. I know we will be there a lot this spring and summer; if you see two parents with a baby boy and a lightly packed diaper bag, you know it is us!