Baby Must Haves: A Good Ride and Places to Go

Driving around town with my favorite guys. 

I've read a lot of blogs with the the first part of this title and I have lots and lots of baby stuff that's made my life easier. (Though, the number one thing is boobs... Then next important thing to have is arms.) The consumption frenzy that comes with having a baby can be overwhelming. I plan to write a post on useful baby products soon, but in the meanwhile something I appreciate everyday:

MY CAR

Until recently we drove a 1990 two-door Toyota. It was red with flippy lights and went really fast with little effort. And it had incredible gas mileage 35+ miles a gallon. But, BUT, the trunk didn't open consistently and all sorts of things were going wrong with it. It was well-maintained and had a good run but we had started replacing everything on it (and normal things too, like locks, ignitions, etc). Also, I just really really liked the idea of having a car with four doors.

About a year ago, we got our 2005 Ford Focus Wagon on Craigslist.  I had decided to buy a car that day, and saw it the minute it posted and bought it about an hour later.  It was a great price and works wonderfully for us.

Things I love about my car: four doors, and a back seat you can access without acrobatics. It's so easy to get H in and out of the car. And to load the carseat in and out; (sidenote: we don't actually do this often as I thought we would, our guy doesn't like hanging out in his carseat when its not moving.) One of us usually sits in the back with Harvey when we are both out. I sit in the backseat, using the carseat and door for support and give my baby many-a-meal in that car.  I also use the Moby baby carrier we keep in the car (we now have two!) as a pillow to support him. I got the windows tinted when we got the car and am now extra grateful for the added privacy.

Harvey's first zoo trip. Napping while his mom checks out the giraffes.

We can keep his snap-and-go type stroller in the back and his medium sized Britax stroller in the back of the car AND groceries. And a beach bag. And a baby bag. I found it is easiest to keep a whole container of wipes and a big stack of diapers permanently in the car. This way I can avoid public changing stations: I used one once and it was trickier and dirtier than I thought it should be. Our car is my changing station of choice when out. I successfully changed him on the front seat a few times but it hurt my back. Now, I came up with the best solution for us: I fill his carseat with a blankey, moby, changing cover whatever until it is flat...then I put the changing pad from his diaper bag on top of it. I get the diaper and wipes ready. I lay him in there so he's flat.  He's now at a good level to be changed without hurting my back. I get a lot of smiles and coos: he seems to like being up higher.

My view from the beach parking lot.

PLACES TO GO

I get really stir crazy if I stay home for the whole day so I try to make one or two outings each day. I feel like Harvey appreciates the change of scenery and stimulation as well. He loves to sleep when we are out and not as much when we are home.

Places we go:
*Parent group #1. A whole variety of moms and dads with babies about the same age. We meet at the park and lay our babies together on blankets and sit around talking, and feed, change, and burp them together. They also plan happy hours, exercise classes, and a zoo trip that I've attended.
*Baby class through the city college: We sing songs and also learn about infant development. We keep skipping class but I plan to make it back sometime.
*Beach: I might meet up with other new moms from my parent group, or Andrew at lunchtime or post- work. Most often I just go alone with my baby. I get ready to go, feed him, drive five minutes to the beach, arrange him in the baby carrier and walk in the sand for about an hour. I love it because we tend do the same walks we did when he was in my tummy!  I recently tried wearing shoes at the beach once, on a particularly beach tar-y day and hated it (a SB problem). I had sand in my socks and sneakers. I would rather scrub tar off my feet.  Harvey sleeps the whole time at the beach. I will listen to music or call my sister, mom, or friend. Every other day I bring Andrew along so I can do my run while he carries baby in the carrier. I'm just finishing week 3 of the couch to 5k so my version of a "run" has BIG quotation marks. I've done the plan twice before and it worked well.

Harvey loves this time with his dad. I love being able to run and not have to leave them too far behind. 

*The Lake. It's called a lake but it's a reservoir in our neighborhood. We walk around it, wander through eucalyptus groves, and look at birds and the foothills and  mountains and just enjoy being outside.
*Parent group #2.  We alternate different mom's houses and have snacks and conversation, and speakers. This is an attachment parenting group (which is just pretty much what I thought parenting was) celebrating the mother-baby unit. A big bonus of having a baby is meeting so many amazing moms!
*Farmer's Market/ Starbucks  This has become a weekly date with Andrew. I used to walk there, but now if I walked there I'd have to feed and change baby bundle right when I got there. After a feeding we drive and buy things like avocados, cherimoyas, strawberries, and flowers. Afterwards we get large coffees and talk while baby sleeps in his carrier (and once in his stroller!). He wakes up at some point and we play with him in the coffee shop. I am happy to say he is quite well behaved for a baby.

Other places I'm thinking about going:
The library
A music class
To Los Angeles

Other parents: Where did/do you like to go with your baby?
Parents-to-be: Where do you look forward to taking your baby?

I really really am looking forward to taking baby Harvey to Hawaii!

Upcountry Maui: home sweet home.