Unfortunately, I am a Good Shopper.

Yesterday Elizabeth & I ventured to a shopping area called the Grafton Centre. It is two pedestrian boulevards with a shopping mall connecting them.

I wanted to get Elizabeth some plain long-sleeve onesies to go under her shirts, because I worry about wind getting under her jacket and making her tummy and back cold when we're biking. Matthew would say that I worry about that happening to Elizabeth because it happens to me. And yet, I'm not buying myself any plain long-sleeve onesies...

So I packed the diaper caddy into the backpack, along with the Baby Bjorn to carry Elizabeth around while we shopped, and we biked over to the Grafton. Then in Primark (kind of like Old Navy-ish), I couldn't resist, and ended up getting her two new shirts, two 3-pack onesies, two pairs of leggings and some socks. She pretty much needed them. Then, on our way back to the bike, I passed about 8 charity shops - in England, they don't have Goodwill or Salvation Army type stores, they have multiple charity shops and each one funds a different charity. We stopped in at the British Red Cross shop, the British Heart Foundation shop and one for British Homeless people. (I can't remember what it was called, but if you say "British Homeless People shop", it sounds like that is where you buy British Homeless People.) I just like to browse in these shops, and actually, they are a great place for baby toys. Elizabeth fell in love with this plastic train that choo-choos when you push the button, and has wheels and spinny things, etc etc. And it was a steal at £1.50, so obviously, into the backpack it goes.

Then I got back to the bicycle and had a little moment - was the backpack too big and fat now? Was it going to smash E in the face as we biked? I took out the Bjorn, and wore it on my front, and then put the backpack back on, but was still worried about it. I actually asked a lady with a stroller to check for me as I sat on my seat - she said, "Oh, you've got about 3", just lean forward while you ride!" Thank goodness I asked a non-judgey Mum instead of one who would just tsk-tsk and say something un-helpful like, "well, I wouldn't ride home like that, but if you want to, I guess it's okay." (Because even if I had asked a judgey Mum, I was still totally going to ride home like that.)

As I was cycling home, I realized we had nothing for dinner. Hmmm, what to do? Go to the grocery store in town, or wait til we get closer to home and go to the neighbourhood one? Elizabeth was practically asleep already in the bike seat, and it would have been more challenging to wake her up once she was actually asleep when we got closer to home. So, off the bike we get again, and into a grocery store we go.

It was in the grocery store that I realized the train toy was choo-choo-ing from inside the bag - all afternoon I had thought I was setting off anti-theft alarms in shops. Whoopsies.

The meat section had a three-for-£10 deal, so obviously I had to get that. And then I remembered we didn't have any bread. And after I bought the groceries, I got back to the bike and realized that I am not brave enough to bike with a grocery bag dangling from my wrist. . .  What to do? Obviously, smoosh the bread into one of the mesh side pockets of the backpack, and then put the 3 packages of meat into the Baby Bjorn, and bike home. Ha!! I wish I had taken a photo of my meat baby!