Stella Triptych

Jack's New Ride

It was finally time to let go of Jack's beloved infant carseat stroller frame - often called a "Snap & Go" like you might call tissues "Kleenex" or a photocopy a "Xerox". For you language geeks (like me!) that's an eponym. Yeah, Google it.

Anyway, we loved being able to move the carseat from the car and click it onto the stroller frame and presto, instant stroller. But our carseat is heavy and Jack is now heavy which made the frame more unstable and difficult to maneuver (especially if you have a 50 lb. bulldog pulling you back and forth during a walk around town). The frame has small wheels and wasn't able to jump the train tracks or sidewalk curbs anymore. And Jack was increasingly nudgy with being in more of a reclined position than a sitting position.

So it was time to get a big-boy stroller. We opted for the mid-line City Mini by BabyJogger and both he and we are very happy with its snappiness, lightness, maneuverability, big sun shade, bigger wheels and its ability to fold up like a taco with one hand (great for when we have Jack in the other arm). We miss how Jack used to face us in his Snap & Go (he now faces out), but he didn't seem to have any separation anxiety about that like we did - he just enjoys the world as it strolls by him.

Peekaboo

Jack Triptych

Family Road Trip to Portland, OR

Over the Labor Day weekend, we packed up our bags, put Stella and Jack in the car, and drove to Portland, OR to see Tom's parents. With the Bay Bridge being closed. And 12-14 hours ahead of us. Oy! It was an adventure and a picturesque ride - across the rolling hills and pastures of California then the pine forests and mountains of Oregon, we even saw a rainbow. We stopped in Ashland, OR for lunch - Ashland is essentially half way between San Francisco and Portland and is known for their annual Shakespeare festival. A few random pics from the road: