Out in the BIG big world

By Savannah

Liam and I had a day out in the world yesterday.

For the most part, he has been home or out only for short visits to Nana and Pa Roberson or the grocery store. I have been feeling a bit stir crazy with little sleep or social interaction, so yesterday we decided to make a day of it. Papa was on a "season opener" motorcycle ride with his buddies to the coast till 4 p.m.


First we went to Mama/Baby yoga, taught by my dear friend Camille (www.motherwiseyoga.com). It was so fun to see other babies of Moms I met in prenatal yoga and to show off Liam. I needed the yoga! My back and neck have been pretty sore from so much holding, nursing and carrying Liam. Of course, he had a crying jag and then a blow-out poop right at the beginning of class...

He loved hearing the sounds of the other babies and once he relaxed, he was cooing back at them. I could hear him thinking, "finally she brings me around my own people!" After class, I popped him in his front pack and walked across the street to Clinton St. Cafe for a yummy sandwich.

We sat outside and enjoyed the sunny day (71 degrees!). We were visited by a tall thin man on a bike wearing a Bob Marley shirt who told me stories about his four grown kids, his eyes light and full of life, a black lab named Cleo who ate a piece of turkey that I dropped, and a friend I hadn't seen in over a year who was working nearby.

Then we drove over to Auntie Angela's new apartment.

We went for a walk around her neighborhood in the Multnomah Village area. It is hilly and it felt good to exercise! I took off my shoes and felt the hot ground under my feet. She came home with us and we had dinner (veggie pasta) and then Angela and I went out to hear my good friend Ellis Paul (www.ellispaul.com) play at Mississippi Studios. Ellis is one of the best singer/songwriters of our current times and a person of real integrity and heart.

It was my first evening and three hour stint away from Liam. I missed him but he did great with Papa and even took my milk in a bottle! I only called to check on him once...

I gained so much perspective from my day, both with and away from Liam. Sometimes staying home with a new baby can feel isolating. I was beginning to get a bit loopy. Slipping into bed with Bill and Liam that I night I felt my heart creak open a bit more and the little pulse of "home" singing in my body.

Sometimes you have to leave home to find it, right?