The Easiest Way to Leave the House with a Toddler and a Newborn

It has been 10 days since we welcomed our baby girl into this world. Since even before her arrival I have been thinking about the day that I would be required to take her and her older brother out in public by myself.

I am well aware that people take two kids or more out all the time with no issues. That didn’t stop me from feeling slightly nervous about getting ready, packing up all the stuff and heading out with a toddler and a newborn.

How will I shower? What if the little one needs to nurse? I know there’s no way an outing will be had without at least five diaper changes. 

Well, I am pleased to say that we survived our first outing! We made it to the store, bought a gift for a friend and then played at the park. W had a great time and Sweet P was no trouble in the baby carrier.

While the trip itself was fairly easy-breezy, the process it took to get there was no walk in the park. Fortunately for you, I am sharing my simple 18 step plan on how to leave the house with a toddler and a newborn. 

The Easiest Way to Leave the House with a Toddler and a Newborn

Just 18 Steps! 

1. Wake up to feed the newborn around 5:00 am. Lay sleeping newborn down, close your eyes and brace for your toddler’s sudden and loud entrance into your room. “Toast!” he demands.
2. Your wonderful husband grabs toddler a little breakfast before leaving for work. He pries away your fingers as you shout, “I’ll count the hours until you return!”
3. Smile at your peaceful, sleeping baby before heading to the bathroom with your toddler.
4. Spend 5 minutes debating with toddler on whether he’ll take a shower or bath with you. He wants to stay with the baby instead. 
5. After successfully convincing your toddler to stay in the bathroom, you step into the shower only to hear the baby cry. Take a minute to stare longingly at the shower before wiping on some deodorant.
6. Nurse the baby while intermediately calling out to your toddler to make sure he isn’t getting into trouble. Realize hours later that he was attempting to “redecorate” the couch with his crayons. 
7. Put the baby down after she falls asleep nursing on one side and grab some clothes for the toddler. Get him halfway dressed before the baby realizes she fell asleep before finishing breakfast. Sigh as your toddler seizes this opportunity to run down the hall bottomless.
8. Search for half-clothed toddler while nursing baby. The toddler has quickly taken advantage of your weakened state and proceeded to dump out all of his toys and scatter them around the house.
9. You try in vein to gather up some of the toys before moving on to more important matters- getting some pants on the toddler. 
10. Baby falls asleep once more, so you are able to put her down and wrangle up the toddler. You throw your hands up in the air and shout, “Victory!” when the toddler is fully dressed.
11. You then move on to packing your diaper bag with only a few essentials. 
12. While packing your toddler’s snacks you realize that you didn’t eat anything this morning. You try to stuff the last banana in your mouth before your toddler pleads for you to share. With your stomach rumbling, you resort to hiding behind the kitchen island while shoving a cookie down your throat. Your toddler, using his super sense of smell, sniffs out the cookie and begins to shout, “COOKIE! COOKIE! COOKIE!” over and over again.
13. You lure your toddler into the car with the promise of a cookie later on.
14. The moment your toddler and newborn are buckled up nicely in the car, you hear the distinct sound of a newborn pooping.
15. You roll the dice and change the newborn in the car without a changing pad.
16. You reach for the new diaper only to realize in horror that the newborn was not finished. You try not to cry as your newborn, her clothes, and you are covered in baby poo.
17. After changing the baby again, you dab at the mustard-colored stain on your pants and pray no one notices. Honestly, you’re too tired to care. 
18. You finally let out of sigh of relief as you back out of the driveway with your toddler, baby and all their stuff in tow. It’s only until you are halfway to your destination that you realize you have forgotten the wipes.