Sunday, June 5, 2011

Grocery Shopping Will Never Be The Same Again!

I haven't "really" gone grocery shopping until yesterday and it wasn't even "really" grocery shopping in the sense of reality since my mother in law was there to help. We know you can attach carseats on top of shopping carts but since we were not yet aware of how nor did we want to attempt, we maximized the two of us and grabbed two shopping carts - one for Jordan's carseat and one for normal grocery shopping. Completely legit and super smart of us - except once May is gone, what will I do?!

Do people just not grocery shop for a while? Moreover, how do single moms manage? Even if we knew how to attach the carseat to the shopping carts, there's still the next dilemma of where to load all the groceries when the trunk is occupied by the stroller. Yet another simple ordinary task that is challenging with child and has me thinking, how does everyone else do it?!

To add to the challenge is the fact that my ordinary grocery shopping is not a one stop deal. On average, I will stop by Fresh n Easy and Costco with occasional trips to Trader Joe's, Albertson's and Vons. Gone are the leisurely grocery escapades that once were a part of my weekly rituals - first thing I've noted is I must try to consolidate my shopping needs and trips and probably take advantage of the fact that my weekdays are now open for grocery shopping and space out any multiple trips.

It's absolutely fascinating that not only am I being taught daily lessons on patience, love, devotion, sacrifice and humility but also organization, multitasking and goal making with baby. Grocery shopping will never be the same again! But as cliche as it sounds and as much as any new parent will inform you, it is well worth it. He is well worth it.. Jordan that is, or whatever kid you or the next person may bring into this world. Just don't forget that when you're grocery shopping and wondering how everybody does it! Many a parent has grocery shopped and gotten by just fine and so will you... ahem, so will I, right?

5 comments:

LunaMoonbeam said...

You'll be fine. ;-) The baby carseat clips into the front of the cart - open up the basket seat in the cart, and set your baby carseat on top. There is a little hook in the back that will catch on the cart and keep it in place.

Or you can bring your carrier and just carry Jordan that way.

And yeah - grocery shopping will never be the same! It's a race against the clock - can you finish getting everything you need before he needs to eat/nap/change diaper? haha

I used to go to multiple grocery stores when Ming Wai was little...we just did one a day. It was our "daily outing." haha

Paige Taylor Evans said...

I definitely took Chris with me grocery shopping the first few months. Or put the carseat in the basket like Aunt LoLo said. Now he's big enough he sits in the basket but we have one of those fabric protector seat things that goes in first to avoid germs :)

Sijbrich said...

It is a challenge. I remember wistfully the days when I could go by myself and get in and out of the store in 20 minutes flat. Now with a toddler we tack on an additional 20 minutes or so. Expecially now that she prefers to walk instead of ride in the cart. Believe it or not, it's easier with a newborn than with a toddler.

Kara @ Just1Step said...

It is definitely complicated! I always just put the carseat inside the cart and then filled the groceries all around. Sometimes I'd pull Krew out and stick him in a sling or something and then pile stuff inside his carseat, too.

bruinjack said...

Getting a carrier (I hear the ergo baby is really nice) to have baby walking with you and looking around was always helpful for me. I felt like John was actually getting something out of the grocery shopping that way because he was able to look around and I was able to kiss the back of his cute little baby head and talk with him quietly while we were walking around. It makes it hard when you have to pick up something heavy though, and when they are sleeping it is just easier to keep them in the car seat and put it in the cart. And I can definitely agree that it is much easier shopping with a newborn than a toddler.