My Dad and I took the kids to the park yesterday morning and my Dad did the actual playing on the playground and pushing on the swing while I sat on the bench in the shade with AndyZ. Of course, some woman muttered something under her breath about how she couldn’t believe I had a newborn at the park at two weeks old. She was audibly and visibly irritated with my decision. To be OUTSIDE. I wasn’t handing him off to strangers walking out of the bathroom at the rest stop on the interstate. I was sitting under a shade tree watching my kids play on the playground with my Dad. Something, as a mother, I find to be good for a kid. But obviously that woman thought Child Services should be called on me: STAT.
We also took a walk along the greenway (Woman at the park: Still Muttering) to the creek NikkiZ likes to play in. Again, I sat in the shade while Dad actually got in the creek with my daughter. This is exactly why it’s awesome having him here. I get to live under the illusion of keeping my daughter entertained, but I don’t have to do much to actually entertain her. I did walk about two miles with AndyZ in the chest carrier, a trip my doctor would have approved of (“Walk as much as you can stand!”). But — when it came to the actual play-time in the creek? I simply sat and watched. How much convincing do you think it would take to get my Dad to take this job full-time? Because I’m kinda enjoying this set-up.
Ahh that stupid woman. Since when is fresh air bad? Looks as if you and the kids and your dad had a simply wonderful family time at the par, and it doesn’t get any better than that 🙂
makes me wonder if that woman has any children of her own. I remembering when we brought Girl! home, the nurses told me how lucky I was to have a summer birth because now we could lounge in the shade, of course – the fresh air and vitamin D would be GOOD for BOTH of us. OH well – some peopel are just asshats. You’re like, the MOST AWESOME MOM EVER, Zoot – even if you do force fresh air and fun on your children!
She obviously doesn’t have more than one child… GAHD I hate it when people who are so Judge Judy like that…
I had my second baby outside the day we came home from the hospital! Can’t keep the three-year-old (now four-year-old) in!!!
AndyZ looks so adorable sleeping like that. There’s nothing really wrong about taking out your two-month old for a trip to the playground. I am not sure what’s that lady is thinking about.
I can only sigh whistfully at these pictures. 🙂
I love judgmental people! They are so much fun. It sounds like you guys had a great time!! Your dad sounds awesome!!
Heck, you better lock me up then. My 1st daughter (now 2) was out to lunch 45 minutes away from home the second day she was alive.
My second daughter went to Walmart with me on the way home from the hospital.
Now I am due with baby #3. How can I torture this one?
When my son was a newborn (5 days) we brought him to the mall to pick up a couple items we ordered before he was born. One woman seriously chewed me out for going out in public with him. Then another woman turned to her and told her she was a paediatrician and had 6 kids, and there was nothing wrong with going out with newborns as long as no one is touching them. Shut that first woman right up. LOL
The woman at the park obviously never had to young ones at once. Your life can’t stop because you have a newborn..the other child still needs attention. When My 2 year old was born in the cold Michigan November, I still had to take her out and get my then 5 year old on the kindergarden bus and do the dialy chores of grocery shopping when she was only 2 weeks old..She survived and so will AndyZ. It makes them more dedicated siblings, in my opinion 🙂
Yeah, my second took a walk to the park at one week old. As moms, we have to let others’ judgement roll off our back (I know, sometimes easier said than done).
AndyZ is so adorable. My 3rd little guy is only 12 weeks old, but looking at pictures of AndyZ makes me miss his newborness already! It is so fleeting!
Some people need to learn to keep their mouths shut – seriously you weren’t trolling around the center for disease control you were at the flipping park.
Those pictures are wonderful!
When I was born, I was almost three months premature and a little fragile. EVERYONE, including doctors, told my mom I should be kept inside and away from other people as much as possible. There was this awful fear that I would get sick and not be able to fight it off. My mom started seeing a pediatrician who was from a third world country. HE said I should get outside as much as possible, as long as I was dressed for the weather. Exposure (within reason) is what builds a healthy immune system. This made a lot more sense to my mom and she listened.
I was the healthiest kid in the family. I still am. So when someone gives you crap about daring to expose AndyZ to the world, tell them I said to shut up! 🙂
Whenever I would take both of my newborns out, I had a woman like that, muttering, making comments. She’s called My Grandma. Sigh.
I think you should post a series of photos and we can all play “Sanctimommy at the Playground” and diss your mothering choices.
I’ll start with your last photo.
“Silly, Zoot, don’t you realize your incredibly small infant can’t drink out of a sippy cup yet? Are you really THAT lazy??
And it has Disney Princesses on it! Are you trying to make him GAY?!?! OMG, the humanity!”
I smell a new series…”Caption This Photo: Judgemental Sanctimommy Edition”
Why wouldn’t you take your baby outside? People are weird.
When my guy was a wee-babe we would take him out. October in Arizona is STILL SUMMER. We would get comments here and there but I wasn’t going to sit in the house 24/7.
He is super-healthy and still with us.
Oh the horror! Your child might be exposed to germs that will help him build up his immunity system. He might not get sick because you took him outside. What ever were you thinking?
Crazy muttering park lady. Mind your own business.
I had a lady in Target YELL at me for having Evan out when he was 5 days old. Nevermind that he was in a sling completely covered….nevermind that I was there buying diapers. People need to seriously mind their own business.
So glad you had a beautiful time!!
Besides, keeping kids sheltered/away from all particles of dirt, etc., is a great way for them to develop allergies later on – kids who live in rural areas and/or on farms, etc. have statistically less allergies from being around dirt/animals from a young age…their bodies get used to that stuff and deal with it accordingly.
So you’re doing the absolute right thing!!! And fresh air and a playground? Mmmmm. Sign me up! 🙂
Eff that lady. Who asked her, anyway?
Um, wha???? Maybe if it was extremely hot or extremely cold or if it was RSV season (but even then – you’re outdoors and not letting other people touch him). But for gosh sakes. We couldn’t take our girl out in public for several weeks after she came home (she was a preemie) because it was RSV season and we had to be really careful, but had she not been a preemie? It would have been a totally different story. People are stupid sometimes. Sheesh! Good for you for getting him out in the fresh air with a little vitamin D!
I think fresh air is awesome, and the sun is good for lowering the biliruben levels (or however that’s spelled), and it’s all good for the mama’s mental health.
So that grumpy woman can just hesh-up.
I can’t believe someone would criticize you for having a newborn out in the world! I guess I didn’t realize that there was a quarantine period.
Gotta wonder what her problem was. Old biddy. Fresh air is good! Sitting home inside, not so much. Both my kids were out at three days old. Mom was staying with us. Scout was born on a Thursday so on Sunday we went to church and WalMart. Lil’bug was born three days before a holy day so on day three we went to church. and breakfast, I think. and possibly Target. The cashier in WalMart told my mother that in her country moms stay home with their babies for six weeks. SIX WEEKS!? I’d lose my mind. What am I supposed to do at home for six weeks? How would I feed my family?
Hey, unless your doc or ped is telling you stay home then there is no reason to.
Looks like he liked the park! I’m glad your dad is there to help you and have some one-on-one time with NikkiZ. That, to me, is the best part. I had a phenomenal relationship with my grandmother because she spent so much time with us.
Some people really need to get a grip. Obviously she knows nothing about what is good for babies or their families. Besides that, it’s really sad that her own life is so pathetic that she has to go about rudely judging others. I’m glad you all had fun. What a blessing to have your Dad with you this week.
Good Lord, what is WRONG with people? Sometimes I just want to go up to those people and ask “Do you have something you want to say to me?” If they actually have the balls to tell you to your face the things they were saying, then I’d further ask “…and your qualifications are WHAT, exactly? You’re not a doctor? Well, me and my THIRD HEALTHY CHILD are just going to go back over and sit outside for as long as I deem fit, thank you very much.”
eyeroll
How could you? Fresh air? Sunshine? Are you out of your mind? 😉
He’s just beautiful, Zoot, in spite of all the danger you put him in.
When we adopted my son, right after we left the hospital with him, we went to eat. He was two maybe three days old. The restaurant was crowded and we were surrounded by people. The waitress came to take our order and was cooing over the BoyChild. She asked how old he was and when I told her, her eyes got big, and she looked at him and she looked at me. Her response was “REALLY?” I could never figure out whether they were distressed that I’d just had a baby and was out in a restaurant or distressed that I had the BoyChild out in public at such a young age. Either way, it was funny.
Lady at the park needs to stuff a sock in it! Grr..I hate when people act like that!
AndyZ is so adorable and you are so lucky to have your dad with you this week! Your family ROCKS!
Seriosly cute baby alert. My heart is melting. I took both my girls out right away. It was good for me especially because it didn’t make me feel housebound. I also became really adept and juggling both of them. Do what you think is right. I happen to agree with you. It sounds like you are having a great time with your dad!
It’s so easy to parent other people’s kids. The lady should have shoved a sock in it. It’s not like you were using him to wipe the germs off the playground equipment before NikkiZ used it. (You weren’t, were you?)
Make sure he spends as much time in the fresh air as possible while he’s young (and you have the power!) My brother is almost 20, still lives with my Mum and the closest he gets to fresh air is walking to and from work and having his bedroom window open!!!
Not only is the fresh air great for him, with an older sibling you don’t really have much choice. He is beautiful by the way. Congratulations!
This happened to me, too! I took my first daughter out to a local crack den when she was two weeks old, and just as I got her settled in the smoke filled room (with hookers, of course), some random customer got all judgmental on me!
No. Actually, I was at Babies R Us. You know, where there are babies. And they sell stuff. For babies.
She was settled firmly in her carseat, hood-shade thingy up, blanket covering her, sleeping soundly. I only let a few people drool on her! It was totally safe.
Anyway.
Wow, people are insane! I was a month old… maybe 6 weeks, when I went out of state for the first time, and 8-10 weeks when I went on an airplane for the first time. People need to learn to keep their judgementalness to themselves. -.-
He’s so adorable there, Zoot. Although, he doesn’t look mighty comfortable in that last picture!! But if he can still sack out I guess…
That woman at the park can stuff it. We stopped at (my beloved) Starbucks ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL with each of our 3 kids. You can only deal with hospital “coffee” for so long and, since all 3 were c-section, it was about 4 days too long.
AndyZ is so cute. Almost makes me want another. But not quite. Whew!
SO G-D CUTE!! I wanna squish him up.
I don’t know why some old ladies have to be so judgemental. I think it’s awesome that AndyZ loves being outside!!
Ah, nothing like a little assvice in the park to get a person to hate going to the park!
a coworker was walking by just now as i was viewing the most recent AndyZ photos. While ooh-ing and ahh-ing and demanding to see more (and me trying to explain why i’m looking at photos of someone’s baby i do not know) she saw a pic of NikkiZ and said “ohmygod she is absolutely beautiful!!! she should model!!!” all three of your kids are gorgeous. so lucky! 🙂
Is it wrong that I imagine AndyZ opening his eyes long enough to look at the judgmental lady and flip her off? 🙂
Meh, the crazy park lady is probably just jealous that you have such cute kids.
What a pain in the rear – I think bravo to you for having your stuff together enough to get out the door with a 2 week old.
Wow, people really don’t know how to mind their own beeswax, do they?
Oh lord, every time I took my baby out this winter people would stare at us in horror. We would be walking around at the mall not out in the rain or anything. Apparently you are supposed to stay at home for four months and lose your damn mind.
I’m glad Tracy (#39) has had that conversation with someone too!
Wow I am amazed at the rudeness of some people. I’m with Average Jane. Seriously is there a rule you need to stay home for a few weeks/months with a new Baby?
You rock, I amazed you have the energy to update your blog so regularily. Take care.
xxx
According to my Mom, I was loaded into a laundry basket and taken to the laundromat at 5 days old – in February. This must have been before people were psycho about crap like that. And look, I survived!
That lady can suck it. It’s great to get your wee ones out and about. You were in the shade. What’s wrong with people?
i once waited on a couple who came in with the tiniest baby EVER. they sat in the smoking section. i coo’d over the baby, and asked how old it was. they told me the baby was 4 DAYS old. i then made a comment about how great the woman looked, what with having a 4 day old baby and all. and, that’s when it got really bad, because she said: “oh, this isn’t OUR baby. we’re watching her for my sister.”
um, so, you brought someone else’s 4 FREAKING DAY old baby into the smoking section of a bar?
i think it’s ok to be judgmental about that, but not to be judgey mcjudge about you having andyz at the park.
really, i think it shows that you’re a great mom, being out and about like that when you could still be lying on the couch demanding bon-bons and foot rubs.
sorry to have rambled on for so long, but, sheesh! it’s a good thing we weren’t all with you, or that woman would have gotten an earful for sure.
You make the beautiful babies! I agree that NikkiZ should be a child model, she’s adorable and Andy is a great looking boy! Dont even give those gripers the time of day, they’re so ignorant. Im looking forward to the next year of antics while watching AndyZ grow up.
That sweet baby is changing so much already! Your toes look really good! 😉
You’re such a rebel. 😆 You took your kids to the park.
My best friend just had a (surprise) baby last November, with a 3 & 5 year old at home. She got TONS of comments about how her baby was so small/too small to have out, or people not believing she had the baby out… and she always thought “what am I supposed to do with these other kids if we don’t go anywhere!”. In any case, I think fresh air is good. It sounds like you had a great time!