The Planner’s Guide for a New Mother’s Weekend Away
We are t-minus three hours from leaving for a weekend away to York, ME for my husband’s cousins wedding. Interestingly enough this is the same cousin that introduced us to one another four years ago. She was a friend of mine and while I knew she had a ridiculously large family I had no idea she also had a ridiculously hot cousin. Needless to say the rest was history after we met, but she is the reason, so we are more than thrilled to be heading to her wedding both for the joyous occasion but also because it is a good excuse for us to get away. It will be our first weekend away from the Baby and our first time being so far away so it isn’t with a certain sense of anxiety that I have readied the plans/contingencies and detailed instructions for both his care and my sanity.
In order to have a nice weekend away as a wife, mother and wedding guest you will need the following.
- Childcare – someone has to watch the kid, someone responsible, who won’t get overwhelmed and you can trust to take care of him.
- Doggie Care – someone to watch the dog, someone responsible, who won’t get overwhelmed and you can trust to take care of her. (At this stage developmentally the dog and the kid are about equal so yes, there are the same basic requirements of those who are caring for either.)
- Wedding Gift – relatively easy, card and money unless you are me and just remembered this detail as I was typing
- Clothes – because the child takes up so much energy it is important to remember the basics, clothes and toothbrushes, anything else you manage to bring is just a bonus.
- Surprise for husband – A good wife will remember that her husband has dealt with a huge shift in life with the birth of his child and if she can manage it a little surprise in the hotel room isn’t a terrible idea.
- Instructions – so yes I trust the two people caring for both my child and dog, however, I have left detailed instructions, I think more so I can feel better about leaving him for the weekend.
- Health Care Form – as my pediatrician recommended, a letter stating that those people caring for my son have our permission to make medical decisions for him if we cannot be reached and a copy of his health insurance card. My instructions literally say “If something happens, dial 911 first and then call us, keep calling us until one of us answers”
- Dog’s Food – Don’t forget the dog food, I have a Siberian Husky and I don’t want her to eat the baby because she’s hungry. But seriously don’t forget the dogs food, she needs to eat just like your kid does.
- Toys – not literally as my son is only 10 weeks old, but his attention span is about 15 minutes so everything you can think of that he will need should be dropped off with those watching him. Just so in theory they can have 30 minutes of not needing to entertain him once a day. (don’t forget the dogs toys either, again you don’t want her to play with the baby)
- Baby’s clothes – don’t forget those, but more importantly don’t forget the diapers ….
