Our baby’s first outing felt like a whole operation.
This past weekend, we took our little guy to Apple Land’s Fun Farm for his first proper adventure.
Before becoming a dad, I’d grab my keys and head out the door.
Now?
I’m packing for a tiny human who can’t tell me what he needs, when he needs it, or whether he’s about to have a blowout.
Here’s what we brought:
- Two bottles with formula
- A water bottle to fill his bottles when needed
- 2 extra pairs of clothes and a couple of small garbage bags for any blowout
- His Evenflo lay-flat stroller
- Blankets, burp cloths, and hand sanitizer
- A black-and-white crinkle toy to keep him entertained
- A stroller clip to block the sun
- His Momcozy carrier, just in case (as he’s a momma’s boy, so my wife can walk around with him)
And, of course, the camera!
I don’t care if people see me walking around with a Sony camera, a mic, and an obnoxiously large lens.
I’m documenting this chapter of my life. Let them look. 😂
But packing was only half the battle.
The other half was mental.
We weren’t on anyone else’s schedule.
And if our little guy cried?
He’s a baby. That’s what babies do.
Fussy? We’d find somewhere to settle him.
Blowout? Back to the car, clean him up, and back to enjoying our day.
Worst case, we adjust.
We also avoided big crowds, especially during flu season.
And I started thinking about time differently.
Before kids, time was about when we needed to be somewhere.
Now it’s: When might he get hungry? Where can we feed him? Where can we rock him back to sleep?
And what if he won’t sleep because he has too much FOMO?
… It is what it is. We’ll deal with it.
Sometimes this kid doesn’t want to miss a thing.
Next time, we’ll feed him after we arrive instead of before leaving, so we have more flexibility before he’s hungry again.
Small adjustment.
But the point is you learn by doing.
I can research the gear and pack every extra outfit.
But I can’t plan for everything.
What I can control is how I respond.
You don’t walk into every workout knowing exactly how it’ll go. You show up, pay attention, adjust, and learn.
Fatherhood is giving me plenty of reps.
Next weekend, we’re seeing close family, with a little more experience under our belts.
The camera is coming. Obviously.
One outing down. Plenty more reps to go.
This week’s Rep:
Before your next family outing, prepare for the essentials and let go of the rest.
Think about what your kid might need, what you’d do if plans changed, and where you could take a break.
Then go enjoy it.
And if things don’t go as planned?
That’s perfectly okay. Just breathe.
Until the next one dads,
John Guevara