Let's Talk Trash

I was taking my trash to the curb last night (and I had lots of it too – 2 Christmas trees, a dozen shipping boxes, recyclables, 3 garbage bins, etc. etc) when I remembered how I used to use Trash Night to illustrate the challenges of Single Mommyhood to women who were considering pursuing this path.

Let me explain.

When you are a single mom you need to be prepared to do EVERYTHING.

Care for your baby – Your job.
Run the household – Your job
Pay the Bills – Your job
Pursue your career – Your job
Plan your investments – Your job
Take out the Trash – Your job

You get my drift. There is nothing – nothing -- that you can delegate to a boyfriend, husband, live in lover, etc. Nothing. It all falls on your shoulders

And in this world of single momhood sometimes the littlest thing turns into a big production. For example --Taking out the Trash the night before Garbage Pickup can become an operation worthy of a military strategist.

Before Little Zo Peep, taking out the trash usually took about 15 minutes from start to finish – no big deal. But when I first got home with Zo Peep, I couldn’t figure out how to take out the trash every week and still watch her. Was I going to leave the house for 15 minutes and leave her there alone? I didn’t think that would be a good idea.

My first option was to check out my baby monitor, to see if I could pick up a signal from her nursery as I took out the trash. But the device didn’t broadcast a signal far enough. Then I moved on to Plan B that I conducted each and every week:

1. Bundle Zo Peep up in weather appropriate clothing.
2. Attach her to my body with my Baby Bjorn(a baby-carrier device pictured to the right)
3. Take her with me on my quest to take out the trash (which took twice as long with a baby strapped to my chest)

When she got too big for the Baby Bjorn, trash day became even more complicated.

1. Bundle Zo Peep up in weather appropriate clothing
2. Put her in her stroller
3. If she was fussy, I'd use my right hand to push her stroller to the curb as I used my left hand to carry trash.

During this stage, taking trash to the curb could take almost 3 times as long as it did in my pre-baby days.

When Zo Peep was too big for the stroller, the process took just as long, but became a little scarier.

1. Bundle Zo Peep up in weather appropriate clothing
2. Hold her hand while I used my left hand to carry trash to the curb.
3. Try to never let go of her hand while at the curb for fear that she would toddle into traffic .

Once Zo Peep got old enough to listen to and obey my requests, trash night became easier. She even has gotten to the point where she sometimes helps me carry things to the curb. And I also feel comfortable (like I did last night) taking the trash out after she had gone to bed.

But with Libby Doodle Doo on the way, I’m guessing I’ll soon be back to my Baby Bjorn Garbage Brigade (has a nice ring to it doesn't it).

Can’t wait.