Showing posts with label magical storage powers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label magical storage powers. Show all posts
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Can the Beetle hold a big carseat?
Beetle parents, in case this might help anyone out there searching, I wanted to update you on the last carseat we've purchased: the Britax Frontier 90.
It's a huge seat, which has the option to turn into just a booster seat when the child is older and bigger. As a forward-facing harness carseat, it can hold kids up to 90 lbs. and 58" tall, according to the manufacturer website. It's so big, I was nervous if it would actually fit in the Beetle. But I'm pleased to report, it does fit, perfectly. Don't be afraid to order a big seat like this one. The Beetle has a remarkable, seemingly magical, capacity to hold what you need to carry.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Stroller rave (aka, I might have a screw loose, but that works for me)
I'm coming out of blog retirement to say that after several months of researching and now several months of road time, I can heartily endorse the Maclaren Quest as a perfect stroller for a 16-month-old AND a Beetle!
I have no idea why everyone I spoke with, including people at Maclaren, insisted that the Quest's hood did not tilt. We finally ordered the thing, because we liked it, it felt sturdy, it was tall, and it could hold more weight than the bulkier Peg Perego Aria. Then it came...and I shoved the hood forward and now it tilts just like I had hoped it would!
I suspect the screws holding the hood in place are probably looser than they are supposed to be. But it's working for me, and I love this stroller. It's so easy to pop in and out of the Beetle's trunk, and easy to fit other things in the trunk with it.
Baby H has taken two trips to Disneyland now with the stroller, and it's fabulous...it's easy to maneuver, fits into our Prius's trunk packed with luggage, and it can recline so Baby H can take a nap in the park.
It also collapses slim enough that we can not only fit ourselves and our stuff in the car, but also onto the seat of a Disneyland parking lot tram (possibly one of the only vehicles with less roomy seating than the backseat of a Beetle!).
Watching families struggle with lugging their giant strollers onto the tram, and in one case, being forced to prioritize fitting their stroller onto the seat before their kid (!), I was really glad that having a Beetle made me get more "minimalist" in my stroller search. Having a little car can end up saving you the hassles that can come with big "stuff"...even if you might have to have a screw loose to appreciate it!
I have no idea why everyone I spoke with, including people at Maclaren, insisted that the Quest's hood did not tilt. We finally ordered the thing, because we liked it, it felt sturdy, it was tall, and it could hold more weight than the bulkier Peg Perego Aria. Then it came...and I shoved the hood forward and now it tilts just like I had hoped it would!
I suspect the screws holding the hood in place are probably looser than they are supposed to be. But it's working for me, and I love this stroller. It's so easy to pop in and out of the Beetle's trunk, and easy to fit other things in the trunk with it.
Baby H has taken two trips to Disneyland now with the stroller, and it's fabulous...it's easy to maneuver, fits into our Prius's trunk packed with luggage, and it can recline so Baby H can take a nap in the park.
It also collapses slim enough that we can not only fit ourselves and our stuff in the car, but also onto the seat of a Disneyland parking lot tram (possibly one of the only vehicles with less roomy seating than the backseat of a Beetle!).
Watching families struggle with lugging their giant strollers onto the tram, and in one case, being forced to prioritize fitting their stroller onto the seat before their kid (!), I was really glad that having a Beetle made me get more "minimalist" in my stroller search. Having a little car can end up saving you the hassles that can come with big "stuff"...even if you might have to have a screw loose to appreciate it!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Taking a test stroll
First, the facts, for anyone who might have been desperately googling to find out "Will a Peg Perego or Maclaren fit in a Beetle's trunk?" The answer: A Peg Perego Pliko P3 will not fit; a Peg Perego Aria WILL FIT in the Beetle's trunk! And, a Maclaren Quest and Volo (the only two Maclaren models I tried) will fit in a Beetle's trunk! Happy researching. :)
Now for the reporting:
In my my stroller rant, I ranted only from experience online in researching a new compact stroller. As I have come to see this afternoon, it's just as important to take your stroller for a test drive as a new car, because what looks great on paper isn't always the best when you hit the road!
I was almost about to order the Peg Perego Aria online, but I figured I'd better try it out just to make sure it really would fit in the trunk. We went to a very accomodating Babies "R" Us, where they let me put a bunch of expensive strollers in my car's trunk (with some collateral, of course). Here's what we tested, and what we found in the great Peg Perego Aria vs. Maclaren Quest stroller face-off!
Peg Perego Aria
Fits in the Beetle's trunk: yes!
With room to spare. It's short enough, but wide. At first I didn't think it would fit, but after tipping and turning it a few different ways, it easily had room. Whew!
Shade-providing canopy: yes!
In addition to fitting in the Beetle's trunk, the canopy is my favorite feature about this stroller. In fact, the awesome clamshell-folding canopy folds almost as far over as our larger Pliko P3, and that alone almost swayed me to buy this stroller immediately. It's simply the very best canopy I've seen for a compact stroller.
Reclining seat: yes!
Plus a bar across the seat, which Baby H likes to hold onto on his P3.
But now, the part that made me glad for a test drive...
Handling and feel: eh!
Compared to the vast majority of strollers out there, the Aria steers beautifully. BUT...the handles are a little too low for my 6'2" husband. The Aria's downfall for both of us: it feels cheap, and despite being sort of clunky, it doesn't feel substantial to us. Plus, even though it folds up lengthwise to fit in the Beetle's trunk, it's still a very bulky package. Even with the one-handed opening (a cool feature), I don't see being able to fold it up and pop onto the Disneyland parking lot tram in this in a hurry. And for a stroller, that's a real consideration!
Maclaren Quest
Fits in the Beetle's trunk: yes!
I don't quite understand the magic that happened here, because according to the online measurements I found, it shouldn't have worked. But it did. The neat thing about the Maclaren is that it sort of folds in half. The result: a stroller that not only fits in the Beetle's trunk, but leaves room for a couple bags of groceries, too! It's actually a bit longer than the Aria, but it's much less bulky because of the wheel placement, so I feel it's easier to handle, too.
Shade-providing canopy: eh!
This is the only feature that disappoints me, and it was originally SO important to me. There is a canopy, but it's pretty lame. I made the one in the store go forward, but I'm not sure it's supposed to do that! (Sorry, BRU.) I do not understand why such a well-designed stroller has a basically useless (unless the sun is directly overhead) canopy. Is it because England (where Maclaren is made) isn't as sunny as Italy (home of Peg Perego)? Perhaps. This is the sole feature that still leaves the Italian Peg Perego in contention. Maybe it's better to stick with a Medieterranean climate manufacturer where sun is concerned?
Reclining seat: yes!
Nice seat, but no lap bar. However, I like that the harness straps are actually poking through the seat; the Aria (and the Pliko P3)'s harness drives me nuts because it doesn't really attach to the seat; there's a teeny little hook it rests against, and that lasts about 30 seconds with Baby H craning to look around.
Handling and feel yes!
OK, so that's not really a yes-or-no kind of bullet point, but I swear I thought, "Yes!" when I set off for the test stroll. I like the angled handles (like my P3, but unlike the Aria's straight-bar, grocery-cart style handlebar), and they're mere inches higher than the Aria, but that's high enough for Brad to be more comfortable pushing it. Plus, even though it's a lightweight stroller, it feels substantial--the opposite of the Aria.
Brad's leaning toward the Maclaren, because of the height, the very sleek folding, and the fact that it can hold up to 55 lbs. while the Aria can only take up to 45 lbs. (Another curious fact, since the Aria is clunkier.) Plus, he wouldn't admit it, but I think the slicker look of the Maclaren swayed his vote, too.
I'm not decided just yet. I'm hoping that overnight, someone will invent a perfect blend of the Aria and the Quest, and give it to me and Baby H to take out for a test stroll.
Now for the reporting:
In my my stroller rant, I ranted only from experience online in researching a new compact stroller. As I have come to see this afternoon, it's just as important to take your stroller for a test drive as a new car, because what looks great on paper isn't always the best when you hit the road!
I was almost about to order the Peg Perego Aria online, but I figured I'd better try it out just to make sure it really would fit in the trunk. We went to a very accomodating Babies "R" Us, where they let me put a bunch of expensive strollers in my car's trunk (with some collateral, of course). Here's what we tested, and what we found in the great Peg Perego Aria vs. Maclaren Quest stroller face-off!
Peg Perego Aria
Fits in the Beetle's trunk: yes!
With room to spare. It's short enough, but wide. At first I didn't think it would fit, but after tipping and turning it a few different ways, it easily had room. Whew!
Shade-providing canopy: yes!
In addition to fitting in the Beetle's trunk, the canopy is my favorite feature about this stroller. In fact, the awesome clamshell-folding canopy folds almost as far over as our larger Pliko P3, and that alone almost swayed me to buy this stroller immediately. It's simply the very best canopy I've seen for a compact stroller.
Reclining seat: yes!
Plus a bar across the seat, which Baby H likes to hold onto on his P3.
But now, the part that made me glad for a test drive...
Handling and feel: eh!
Compared to the vast majority of strollers out there, the Aria steers beautifully. BUT...the handles are a little too low for my 6'2" husband. The Aria's downfall for both of us: it feels cheap, and despite being sort of clunky, it doesn't feel substantial to us. Plus, even though it folds up lengthwise to fit in the Beetle's trunk, it's still a very bulky package. Even with the one-handed opening (a cool feature), I don't see being able to fold it up and pop onto the Disneyland parking lot tram in this in a hurry. And for a stroller, that's a real consideration!
Maclaren Quest
Fits in the Beetle's trunk: yes!
I don't quite understand the magic that happened here, because according to the online measurements I found, it shouldn't have worked. But it did. The neat thing about the Maclaren is that it sort of folds in half. The result: a stroller that not only fits in the Beetle's trunk, but leaves room for a couple bags of groceries, too! It's actually a bit longer than the Aria, but it's much less bulky because of the wheel placement, so I feel it's easier to handle, too.
Shade-providing canopy: eh!
This is the only feature that disappoints me, and it was originally SO important to me. There is a canopy, but it's pretty lame. I made the one in the store go forward, but I'm not sure it's supposed to do that! (Sorry, BRU.) I do not understand why such a well-designed stroller has a basically useless (unless the sun is directly overhead) canopy. Is it because England (where Maclaren is made) isn't as sunny as Italy (home of Peg Perego)? Perhaps. This is the sole feature that still leaves the Italian Peg Perego in contention. Maybe it's better to stick with a Medieterranean climate manufacturer where sun is concerned?
Reclining seat: yes!
Nice seat, but no lap bar. However, I like that the harness straps are actually poking through the seat; the Aria (and the Pliko P3)'s harness drives me nuts because it doesn't really attach to the seat; there's a teeny little hook it rests against, and that lasts about 30 seconds with Baby H craning to look around.
Handling and feel yes!
OK, so that's not really a yes-or-no kind of bullet point, but I swear I thought, "Yes!" when I set off for the test stroll. I like the angled handles (like my P3, but unlike the Aria's straight-bar, grocery-cart style handlebar), and they're mere inches higher than the Aria, but that's high enough for Brad to be more comfortable pushing it. Plus, even though it's a lightweight stroller, it feels substantial--the opposite of the Aria.
Brad's leaning toward the Maclaren, because of the height, the very sleek folding, and the fact that it can hold up to 55 lbs. while the Aria can only take up to 45 lbs. (Another curious fact, since the Aria is clunkier.) Plus, he wouldn't admit it, but I think the slicker look of the Maclaren swayed his vote, too.
I'm not decided just yet. I'm hoping that overnight, someone will invent a perfect blend of the Aria and the Quest, and give it to me and Baby H to take out for a test stroll.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Safe furniture
It's been a while since the last post, and a lot has changed: I left my job to stay home with Henry full-time, and we have been having a great time together! (But I admit, I am always really glad when Brad gets home from work and I have another grown-up to talk to.) Henry is 5 months old, a real little person, and he cracks me up.
I love his sweet smile and laugh, and he happens to laugh a lot while on our beloved changing table.
So, today, I am scouting out more adorable organic baby clothing (Speesees brand, if you're wondering) online, and I come across news that says there are high levels of formaldehyde in products by the manufacturer of our changing table/dresser combo.
That article lists the biggest offenders of formaldehyde emissions, and our changing table/dresser combo isn't on there. But does that mean it's safe?
With our carpets, and builder's paint on the walls, and curtains bought with "eco-friendly, energy-saving" thermal backing (that I now realize is made of PVC), and various cheap furniture throughout our house, I know there's more off-gassing happening than I'd like to think about. Hopefully we can change that one piece of furniture at a time.
But I was hoping for the baby's room to have as fresh a start as possible, to have at least one room in the whole house that was "safe." It ticks me off that it's not as safe as I thought--and that these manufacturers have been selling their products knowing what they contain and not warning consumers. And it ticks me off that we've got a solid wood piece of furniture that cost upward of $400 and it might still be unsafe!
Of course, I'd rather not re-buy a different piece of furniture. Then again, I'd also rather not wonder constantly just how "low" the levels of toxic chemicals are. I hate that parents even have to wonder about the safety of products--but I'm really glad that there are people out there watching out for this, and making the companies change.
I hope that if Henry decides to have kids, he won't have to worry about the chemicals in baby food, bottles, clothing, furniture, or homes. I'm sure parents will always worry. But hopefully it won't be about something that should get fixed now, at the turn of the century. I'm very proud to live in a state that's a leading force in making that happen.
I love his sweet smile and laugh, and he happens to laugh a lot while on our beloved changing table.
So, today, I am scouting out more adorable organic baby clothing (Speesees brand, if you're wondering) online, and I come across news that says there are high levels of formaldehyde in products by the manufacturer of our changing table/dresser combo.
This is our dresser, only ours is in black. It's the Jardine Olympia combo unit.
That article lists the biggest offenders of formaldehyde emissions, and our changing table/dresser combo isn't on there. But does that mean it's safe?
With our carpets, and builder's paint on the walls, and curtains bought with "eco-friendly, energy-saving" thermal backing (that I now realize is made of PVC), and various cheap furniture throughout our house, I know there's more off-gassing happening than I'd like to think about. Hopefully we can change that one piece of furniture at a time.
But I was hoping for the baby's room to have as fresh a start as possible, to have at least one room in the whole house that was "safe." It ticks me off that it's not as safe as I thought--and that these manufacturers have been selling their products knowing what they contain and not warning consumers. And it ticks me off that we've got a solid wood piece of furniture that cost upward of $400 and it might still be unsafe!
Of course, I'd rather not re-buy a different piece of furniture. Then again, I'd also rather not wonder constantly just how "low" the levels of toxic chemicals are. I hate that parents even have to wonder about the safety of products--but I'm really glad that there are people out there watching out for this, and making the companies change.
I hope that if Henry decides to have kids, he won't have to worry about the chemicals in baby food, bottles, clothing, furniture, or homes. I'm sure parents will always worry. But hopefully it won't be about something that should get fixed now, at the turn of the century. I'm very proud to live in a state that's a leading force in making that happen.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Beetle and a baby-carrier
Despite my previous post's wonderings about the implications of genetic testing, I am still also concerned with the more pressing matter of getting around town with Henry in the Beetle. I love looking in my rearview mirror and seeing Henry's reflection in his own little backseat mirror. He seems to like looking around, out the back window, and he still loves to snooze while I'm driving.
The only problem is actually getting him into the car. As of 4 months of being a parent, I maintain that it's doable to have a Beetle and a baby--but I now realize that bench-presses really should have been and important part of my pre-baby planning!
So, I have a Peg Perego 2007 Primo Viaggo car seat (in "revi black"--white dots on a black background. Henry LOVES looking at the dots!). There's room for the car seat in the back of my 2003 New Beetle--it's just hoisting it back there that is the challenge with the 2-door Beetle (OK, it's a hatchback, so techincally it's 3 doors. But you know what I mean.)
I just surmised a probably unscientific weight for the carseat. (weighed myself, then held the carseat and weighed us both, found the difference. Makes sense, right?) I determined that the carseat, by itself, weighs 10.4 pounds.
Henry now weighs about 15 pounds (using the same method). No wonder my back's sore! That's 25 pounds of baby + baby-protection I'm manuevering past the folded front seat and into the back!
Sometimes, I opt to crawl into the backseat and place or retrieve Henry from the carseat, instead of taking the whole thing out. I think that will be my new preferred method...unless he's sleeping. Then I will hoist him, carseat and all, until my muscles completely give out, rather than wake him up!
So, it's very possible to travel with the baby and the carseat in the back of the Beetle. But I am starting to see (or feel, I should say) the intrigue of the less stylish but easily accessible minivan (or a lighter-weight car seat)!
Not that I'm trading in the Beetle any time soon, or opting for a lighter carseat, either. (Although it would have been nice if this seat could have been stylish, safe, AND lightweight. I guess I'll settle for safe and stylish, though.) Besides, Henry clearly appreciates the mod look of it, and for now, that's worth some heavy lifting. We'll see if my back agrees with my aesthetics.
The only problem is actually getting him into the car. As of 4 months of being a parent, I maintain that it's doable to have a Beetle and a baby--but I now realize that bench-presses really should have been and important part of my pre-baby planning!
So, I have a Peg Perego 2007 Primo Viaggo car seat (in "revi black"--white dots on a black background. Henry LOVES looking at the dots!). There's room for the car seat in the back of my 2003 New Beetle--it's just hoisting it back there that is the challenge with the 2-door Beetle (OK, it's a hatchback, so techincally it's 3 doors. But you know what I mean.)
I just surmised a probably unscientific weight for the carseat. (weighed myself, then held the carseat and weighed us both, found the difference. Makes sense, right?) I determined that the carseat, by itself, weighs 10.4 pounds.
Henry now weighs about 15 pounds (using the same method). No wonder my back's sore! That's 25 pounds of baby + baby-protection I'm manuevering past the folded front seat and into the back!
Sometimes, I opt to crawl into the backseat and place or retrieve Henry from the carseat, instead of taking the whole thing out. I think that will be my new preferred method...unless he's sleeping. Then I will hoist him, carseat and all, until my muscles completely give out, rather than wake him up!
So, it's very possible to travel with the baby and the carseat in the back of the Beetle. But I am starting to see (or feel, I should say) the intrigue of the less stylish but easily accessible minivan (or a lighter-weight car seat)!
Not that I'm trading in the Beetle any time soon, or opting for a lighter carseat, either. (Although it would have been nice if this seat could have been stylish, safe, AND lightweight. I guess I'll settle for safe and stylish, though.) Besides, Henry clearly appreciates the mod look of it, and for now, that's worth some heavy lifting. We'll see if my back agrees with my aesthetics.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Adventuring out: Beetle, baby, and me
Henry is now 2 months old, and my post-baby posts have been, um, a little sparse. As I'm returning to feeling more like myself again (or at least, a version of myself who can live on a lot less sleep), I hope this will improve!
But we have now had some adventures out of the house!
I admit, I haven't had the guts yet to face my ultimate fear: going to the grocery store with Henry by myself. I just can't quite get over the thought of having my cart loaded up with frozen food, only to have Henry start screaming uncontrollably. Then I have to decide: do I rush out of the store as fast as I can (what I would want to do), but leaving my cart abandoned? Or do I try to get it together, calm him down in the store, and finish the shopping trip? (The latter is more reasonable sounding, but a lot scarier!)
Anyway, I have at least ventured, just me and Henry, to the next most terrifying public place: the mall. This trip required the stroller. But I can now say, from personal experience, that you can fit a baby in a carseat AND a stroller into a Beetle...but it's not gracefully done (by me, anyway).
The only way I can get the stroller to fit is by putting it in the back seat next to Henry. And that involves either hoisting it in through the trunk, or angling the thing in through my driver's side door. Both are difficult. I should have taken up weight lifting!
On the other hand, I have to say, I felt greatly accomplished when I did manage to do this and stroll around with my baby out amongst other actual people. I felt like a pro. (That is, after I realized that I couldn't take the escalators with the stroller and had to locate the elevators in the parking garage to actually get into the mall.)
A much easier feat is going on a walk in the park. This excludes the Beetle from the fun, but it does save gas!
But we have now had some adventures out of the house!
I admit, I haven't had the guts yet to face my ultimate fear: going to the grocery store with Henry by myself. I just can't quite get over the thought of having my cart loaded up with frozen food, only to have Henry start screaming uncontrollably. Then I have to decide: do I rush out of the store as fast as I can (what I would want to do), but leaving my cart abandoned? Or do I try to get it together, calm him down in the store, and finish the shopping trip? (The latter is more reasonable sounding, but a lot scarier!)
Anyway, I have at least ventured, just me and Henry, to the next most terrifying public place: the mall. This trip required the stroller. But I can now say, from personal experience, that you can fit a baby in a carseat AND a stroller into a Beetle...but it's not gracefully done (by me, anyway).
The only way I can get the stroller to fit is by putting it in the back seat next to Henry. And that involves either hoisting it in through the trunk, or angling the thing in through my driver's side door. Both are difficult. I should have taken up weight lifting!
On the other hand, I have to say, I felt greatly accomplished when I did manage to do this and stroll around with my baby out amongst other actual people. I felt like a pro. (That is, after I realized that I couldn't take the escalators with the stroller and had to locate the elevators in the parking garage to actually get into the mall.)
A much easier feat is going on a walk in the park. This excludes the Beetle from the fun, but it does save gas!
Henry on our first walk, just the two of us.
[EDIT: The sun shade is down only for photographic purposes...he's safely covered up during the walk!]
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Ready to roll
Our baby arrived--exactly one month ago today!
Henry Carter was born on July 16 at 5:57 a.m. in Davis. We had a safe and fairly quick labor--so quick that we even surprised the nurses at the hospital when we returned so soon after they sent us home. In fact, if we'd stuck to the recommendation to stay home and monitor the contractions, as Brad's coworker Jennifer has pointed out, I would have had a REALLY interesting blog entry--since I might have delievered the baby in the car on the way to the hospital!
Fortunately, all turned out very well, and Henry is healthy and keeping us more busy than I ever thought possible. Well, maybe "busy" isn't quite the right word--"constantly attentive," perhaps?
It's much harder than I ever expected to be a parent. I didn't think it would be easy, of course--but it was impossible for me, pre-baby, to know the feeling of being "on call" 24/7. Unlike other jobs, you can't exactly tell the baby, "I'm sorry, my shift is over." Well, you could tell him that, but it probably won't matter!
Henry is a very sweet baby, though he seems to have the patience of Donald Duck--he's very easygoing and content until something sets him off, and then he's got a few seconds until he blows! Fortunately, he calms down pretty quickly. And he's adorable. Even when he's screaming (depending on my mental state), I think he's pretty cute--his mouth is just all gums!
Today, on his one-month birthday, he took his very first car trip in the Beetle. Brad expertly installed the second car seat base into it last night, and we all went out today on a big adventure--to Babies "R" Us, where we had to argue a bit about their strict return policy (before they let us do what we wanted, thank goodness--I think Henry's well-timed crying outburst might have given us an advantage), and to my office, where I retrieved most of the plants at my desk so that Rebecca isn't more burdened than necessary with caring for them while I'm gone.
Henry seems to like the car, and his carseat, and he likes to move.
When we've ventured out in the car previously, we took the Prius, and I sat in the backseat with Henry while Brad drove. Today, we had to take the Prius to get repaired (more on that below), so we each took a car to the repair shop. I peeked at Henry in the mirror many, many times--although I couldn't really do much while driving when I saw his little head had fallen sideways in what looked like an uncomfortable position! But I also couldn't do much to console him when he started crying at every stoplight. Once we got moving, though, he quieted instantly. He's got the need for speed. Guess he got used to that on our daily commute!
As for the Prius's repairs: As you might know, last week I went on my first outing by myself in six weeks (having been put on modified bedrest for high blood pressure for about three weeks, pre-Henry's considerate early arrival, and then having been on my own self-induced house stay after he was born). It was great. It had been so long since I'd driven myself anyplace that I felt like I did when I first got my driver's license!
I'd had such a fun outing (to acupuncture) in the morning that I thought I'd go on another one, down the street to the store, in the afternoon. I took the Prius that time--and am blaming what happened next on a severe lack of sleep. I didn't pull the car far enough into the garage when I got back--and closed the garage door on the Prius's bumper!
So, I insisted we pay for the Prius to get fixed ASAP. I could not stand to see the Prius's shiny bumper all scratched up knowing that I made such a silly mistake!
Thankfully, today's outing went much more smoothly. As we were driving home, it was surreal and wonderful to see my usually empty backseat filled up with my new little family: Brad and Henry. And a lot of plants.
Henry at 4 weeks old
Henry Carter was born on July 16 at 5:57 a.m. in Davis. We had a safe and fairly quick labor--so quick that we even surprised the nurses at the hospital when we returned so soon after they sent us home. In fact, if we'd stuck to the recommendation to stay home and monitor the contractions, as Brad's coworker Jennifer has pointed out, I would have had a REALLY interesting blog entry--since I might have delievered the baby in the car on the way to the hospital!
Fortunately, all turned out very well, and Henry is healthy and keeping us more busy than I ever thought possible. Well, maybe "busy" isn't quite the right word--"constantly attentive," perhaps?
It's much harder than I ever expected to be a parent. I didn't think it would be easy, of course--but it was impossible for me, pre-baby, to know the feeling of being "on call" 24/7. Unlike other jobs, you can't exactly tell the baby, "I'm sorry, my shift is over." Well, you could tell him that, but it probably won't matter!
Henry is a very sweet baby, though he seems to have the patience of Donald Duck--he's very easygoing and content until something sets him off, and then he's got a few seconds until he blows! Fortunately, he calms down pretty quickly. And he's adorable. Even when he's screaming (depending on my mental state), I think he's pretty cute--his mouth is just all gums!
Today, on his one-month birthday, he took his very first car trip in the Beetle. Brad expertly installed the second car seat base into it last night, and we all went out today on a big adventure--to Babies "R" Us, where we had to argue a bit about their strict return policy (before they let us do what we wanted, thank goodness--I think Henry's well-timed crying outburst might have given us an advantage), and to my office, where I retrieved most of the plants at my desk so that Rebecca isn't more burdened than necessary with caring for them while I'm gone.
Henry seems to like the car, and his carseat, and he likes to move.
Henry likes to move even when he's laying down--he's batting toys and scooting!
When we've ventured out in the car previously, we took the Prius, and I sat in the backseat with Henry while Brad drove. Today, we had to take the Prius to get repaired (more on that below), so we each took a car to the repair shop. I peeked at Henry in the mirror many, many times--although I couldn't really do much while driving when I saw his little head had fallen sideways in what looked like an uncomfortable position! But I also couldn't do much to console him when he started crying at every stoplight. Once we got moving, though, he quieted instantly. He's got the need for speed. Guess he got used to that on our daily commute!
As for the Prius's repairs: As you might know, last week I went on my first outing by myself in six weeks (having been put on modified bedrest for high blood pressure for about three weeks, pre-Henry's considerate early arrival, and then having been on my own self-induced house stay after he was born). It was great. It had been so long since I'd driven myself anyplace that I felt like I did when I first got my driver's license!
I'd had such a fun outing (to acupuncture) in the morning that I thought I'd go on another one, down the street to the store, in the afternoon. I took the Prius that time--and am blaming what happened next on a severe lack of sleep. I didn't pull the car far enough into the garage when I got back--and closed the garage door on the Prius's bumper!
So, I insisted we pay for the Prius to get fixed ASAP. I could not stand to see the Prius's shiny bumper all scratched up knowing that I made such a silly mistake!
Thankfully, today's outing went much more smoothly. As we were driving home, it was surreal and wonderful to see my usually empty backseat filled up with my new little family: Brad and Henry. And a lot of plants.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Prius and presents!
My cousin and two oldest friends (oldest meaning length of time they've known me, not that I'm saying they're old...oh, you know what I mean) threw me an awesome baby shower recently at my mom and dad's house. I loved getting to visit with people I haven't seen in a while (and with those I get to see every day, too), and having them all in one place was a very fun, unique experience. It was kind of like the wedding, only with more comfortable clothes.
And, a benefit to seeing everybody...presents!
Fortunately, a lot of people came to celebrate and filled the house. The living room was also full of gifts, all so cute and beautifully wrapped. (I have to say, I think baby stuff tops wedding decorations in downright cuteness.) I hope everyone wasn't totally bored with the extensive unwrapping involved, but it was exciting for me!
The exciting part for my dad came when it was time to pack the new presents into the Prius. There were skeptics, but I had faith that the Beetle's magical storage powers would transfer to the Prius. (Since I had just paid $55 to fill up the Beetle the day before, I was in an extra gas-saving mood, and thus, drove the Prius to my mom's house.)
I was right!
Everything but the awesome (but cumbersome) high chair fit into the Prius. No U-Haul (or SUV) required! OK, so I couldn't really see out of my back window on the way home, but all the more reason to stay in the slow lane (and save some more gas by going slower, too!).
Thanks for filling my heart with love, and the Prius with presents, everyone. You made it a great day.
And, a benefit to seeing everybody...presents!
Fortunately, a lot of people came to celebrate and filled the house. The living room was also full of gifts, all so cute and beautifully wrapped. (I have to say, I think baby stuff tops wedding decorations in downright cuteness.) I hope everyone wasn't totally bored with the extensive unwrapping involved, but it was exciting for me!
The exciting part for my dad came when it was time to pack the new presents into the Prius. There were skeptics, but I had faith that the Beetle's magical storage powers would transfer to the Prius. (Since I had just paid $55 to fill up the Beetle the day before, I was in an extra gas-saving mood, and thus, drove the Prius to my mom's house.)
I was right!
Everything but the awesome (but cumbersome) high chair fit into the Prius. No U-Haul (or SUV) required! OK, so I couldn't really see out of my back window on the way home, but all the more reason to stay in the slow lane (and save some more gas by going slower, too!).
Thanks for filling my heart with love, and the Prius with presents, everyone. You made it a great day.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Can a bassinet fit in a Beetle?
I am delighted with the baby goods that are already being sent my way, for loan or for permanent use! After coming back from our wonderful, in-state vacation (I will post some roadtrip pictures in the next blog), I returned to work to find a bassinet in my cubicle!
A nice thing about the pregnancy hormones is that I am able to pretty much forget about anything within half an hour of learning about it, so fun discoveries are an exciting surprise all over again shortly! Somehow, despite walking around the bassinet all day every time I got up from my chair, I forgot about it until my observant coworker Rebecca pointed to it at five o'clock and asked if I might need any help with it. I looked at it like "Hey, where'd that come from?" and thought that yes, I would need some help.
So Rebecca, my cubemate Shaida, and I wheeled the thing out to the parking lot. I couldn't imagine why we got a strange look from one of the occupants of the next building, unless he thought there was an actual baby in it already and I guess it might have looked a little odd that we were seeing how far we could let the bassinet coast along without pushing it.
Anyway, I confidently popped the Beetle's trunk open, Shaida and Rebecca confidently hoisted the bassinet up and in...and then the Beetle's curvy back window shape did not want to bend up further to accomodate the bassinet's square legs sticking up.
Things looked less promising. But I was certain that the Beetle does have magical storage powers, and I could tell that Shaida and Rebecca's sheer determination would win out over any setbacks in having a small car. With some fanagling by Rebecca, and some hands-on backseat folding by Shaida (who somehow figured out how to fold my backseat flat in a way I couldn't even remember how to do)...
Success!
Conclusion: A Graco bassinet CAN fit into a Beetle. It just might take a little help from your friends. (Thanks, friends!)
A nice thing about the pregnancy hormones is that I am able to pretty much forget about anything within half an hour of learning about it, so fun discoveries are an exciting surprise all over again shortly! Somehow, despite walking around the bassinet all day every time I got up from my chair, I forgot about it until my observant coworker Rebecca pointed to it at five o'clock and asked if I might need any help with it. I looked at it like "Hey, where'd that come from?" and thought that yes, I would need some help.
So Rebecca, my cubemate Shaida, and I wheeled the thing out to the parking lot. I couldn't imagine why we got a strange look from one of the occupants of the next building, unless he thought there was an actual baby in it already and I guess it might have looked a little odd that we were seeing how far we could let the bassinet coast along without pushing it.
Anyway, I confidently popped the Beetle's trunk open, Shaida and Rebecca confidently hoisted the bassinet up and in...and then the Beetle's curvy back window shape did not want to bend up further to accomodate the bassinet's square legs sticking up.
Things looked less promising. But I was certain that the Beetle does have magical storage powers, and I could tell that Shaida and Rebecca's sheer determination would win out over any setbacks in having a small car. With some fanagling by Rebecca, and some hands-on backseat folding by Shaida (who somehow figured out how to fold my backseat flat in a way I couldn't even remember how to do)...
Success!
Conclusion: A Graco bassinet CAN fit into a Beetle. It just might take a little help from your friends. (Thanks, friends!)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Can a stroller fit into a Beetle?
This question kind of reminds me of the David Letterman skits where they ask "Can I guy in a bear suit hail a cab?" and that kind of thing. Only probably not as funny. Unless you happened to be watching me and Brad while we maneuvered our new stroller into the Beetle in various positions to see if it would actually fit in there.
I figured I should make a post about this question because Brad discovered, through the magic of some kind of blog tracking, that someone actually ended up at this very blog after typing that question into Google, and until now, my Beetle and a Baby blog has completely failed that person in answering his or her question! So, here goes (and I am sorry to the anonymous person who came here looking for that knowledge that I didn't post until now):
It seems that a 2007 Peg Perego Pliko P3 Freestyle stroller (doesn't that sound like a car model?) CAN in fact fit inside a Beetle, but NOT inside the trunk. Unless you were to remove the wheels or some such thing, but I think that would kind of undermine any convenience of the stroller's one-handed folding features. (The Peg Perego will however, fit inside a 2007 Prius's trunk quite snugly but completely.)
The stroller CAN fit in the Beetle's interior, and seems to fit just perfectly (if awkwardly) squeezed in the backseat, next to where the carseat would go. We will have to do another test drive of both the carseat and the stroller in the back at the same time to make sure, but all seems good for now. I had high hopes for it fitting in the empty front seat, but it seems to fit better in the back.
Of course, as soon as I was delighted that my beloved stroller would fit in any way into the Beetle, I was then immediately plunged into confusion over whether it would make me a terrible mother to put a stroller in the car next to my infant. I freaked out, until I asked one of the experienced moms I already know about this, who assured me that sometimes it just has to happen that way. Whew. I would also like to add that the stroller is pretty well wedged between my driver's seat and the backseat, and seems not to be too much in danger of becoming a projectile object.
Anyway, the stroller question is just another example of how the Beetle has raised not only some practical considerations about transporting a kid and its stuff, but also how little I know about what is acceptable parenting! Fortunately, some reassurance in this case could be found in another Beetle driver (who is also a mom). :)
I figured I should make a post about this question because Brad discovered, through the magic of some kind of blog tracking, that someone actually ended up at this very blog after typing that question into Google, and until now, my Beetle and a Baby blog has completely failed that person in answering his or her question! So, here goes (and I am sorry to the anonymous person who came here looking for that knowledge that I didn't post until now):
It seems that a 2007 Peg Perego Pliko P3 Freestyle stroller (doesn't that sound like a car model?) CAN in fact fit inside a Beetle, but NOT inside the trunk. Unless you were to remove the wheels or some such thing, but I think that would kind of undermine any convenience of the stroller's one-handed folding features. (The Peg Perego will however, fit inside a 2007 Prius's trunk quite snugly but completely.)
The stroller CAN fit in the Beetle's interior, and seems to fit just perfectly (if awkwardly) squeezed in the backseat, next to where the carseat would go. We will have to do another test drive of both the carseat and the stroller in the back at the same time to make sure, but all seems good for now. I had high hopes for it fitting in the empty front seat, but it seems to fit better in the back.
Of course, as soon as I was delighted that my beloved stroller would fit in any way into the Beetle, I was then immediately plunged into confusion over whether it would make me a terrible mother to put a stroller in the car next to my infant. I freaked out, until I asked one of the experienced moms I already know about this, who assured me that sometimes it just has to happen that way. Whew. I would also like to add that the stroller is pretty well wedged between my driver's seat and the backseat, and seems not to be too much in danger of becoming a projectile object.
Anyway, the stroller question is just another example of how the Beetle has raised not only some practical considerations about transporting a kid and its stuff, but also how little I know about what is acceptable parenting! Fortunately, some reassurance in this case could be found in another Beetle driver (who is also a mom). :)
Making space
Of course, Brad and I will have to contend with the Big Question of how we can create the "metaphorical" space in our lives for balancing time once our upcoming family member arrives. Right now, if we feel like lounging around all afternoon and eating too much leftover Easter candy (such as we did today...OK, Brad did accomplish some organizing-type tasks as well), we can just do it. Perhaps that's not the best example (or use) of our current freedoms as just a twosome, but it does sort of illustrate the point that we'll need to rethink how we think of our "free time."
But the matter I'm thinking more about lately is of making more physical space. For some reason, most baby equipment takes up waaay more room in proportion to the baby's actual size than I think could possibly be necessary. It seems the smaller the person, the larger stuff available to keep him or her contained/entertained/stimulated/soothed.
Our big projects for upcoming weeks involve making more physical room in our house for the third person who will be living here. (Mostly involving clearing out clutter and reorganizing to make what's left fit together better.)
As with a weird amount of baby-related realizations, this one was provoked by the Beetle. As I was squeezing my expanding body out of the Beetle, past our bikes and tools lined up against the garage wall, I realized that I don't see how we'll be able to get a carseat in and out of either of our cars when they're both parked in the garage, since I'm having difficulty now just getting an extra few inches of my waistline out of the car door without running into something!
(I would just like to point out here that having a a small vehicle like the Beetle is a good thing in this situation. Our neighbors who have trucks or SUVs can't even fit more than just that vehicle in their "2-car" garages.)
So, I hope we'll be able to resolve the storage and space issues in a way that makes everyone happy. Maybe when we do that, we'll be better able to tackle how to sort out all that metaphorical time/space stuff, too. I'm thinking the solution to that will involve fewer afternoons sitting around eating candy, which is probably a good solution for most problems, symbolic or otherwise.
But the matter I'm thinking more about lately is of making more physical space. For some reason, most baby equipment takes up waaay more room in proportion to the baby's actual size than I think could possibly be necessary. It seems the smaller the person, the larger stuff available to keep him or her contained/entertained/stimulated/soothed.
Our big projects for upcoming weeks involve making more physical room in our house for the third person who will be living here. (Mostly involving clearing out clutter and reorganizing to make what's left fit together better.)
As with a weird amount of baby-related realizations, this one was provoked by the Beetle. As I was squeezing my expanding body out of the Beetle, past our bikes and tools lined up against the garage wall, I realized that I don't see how we'll be able to get a carseat in and out of either of our cars when they're both parked in the garage, since I'm having difficulty now just getting an extra few inches of my waistline out of the car door without running into something!
(I would just like to point out here that having a a small vehicle like the Beetle is a good thing in this situation. Our neighbors who have trucks or SUVs can't even fit more than just that vehicle in their "2-car" garages.)
So, I hope we'll be able to resolve the storage and space issues in a way that makes everyone happy. Maybe when we do that, we'll be better able to tackle how to sort out all that metaphorical time/space stuff, too. I'm thinking the solution to that will involve fewer afternoons sitting around eating candy, which is probably a good solution for most problems, symbolic or otherwise.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Secret-keeping Beetle
Our Beetle was our vault on Friday, and contained a valuable secret known only to God, the universe, and the ultrasound technician whose name I forget at the moment.
We had the halfway-point (20 week) ultrasound last Friday morning, in which Brad, me, and my mom stared at the screen in amazement for almost all of the 45-minute exam. The rest of the time the ultrasound-er told us when to look away, since Brad and I are still hoping to keep the little one's gender a surprise until it's born!
I don't know what my mom and Brad were doing to distract themselves while the big secret was being broadcast, because I had my head turned away with my eyes shut, and only occassionally opened them to peek at Brad to make sure he was peeking at my mom to make sure she wasn't peeking at the screen.
The ultrasound-er didn't help any when she kept exclaiming, "Okay, REALLY don't look right now...yup, I can definitely tell what you're having...you REALLY don't want to look now." My eyes were actually tearing up from all the willpower it was taking me NOT to look (or to tell her to knock it off with the taunting!).
In any event, we all made it through the exam with our honor intact, and I was feeling confident and proud of us for having toughed it out. And then the ultrasound-er gave us some pictures from the exam...plus one separate one, taped (with only one flimsy piece of tape) in an envelope. "Just in case you want to open it later," she said. It had "Gender!" written across it.
We couldn't decide what to do with it, but since I knew it wouldn't last long with me or my mom together all day, I hid it in the Beetle (which Brad was driving that day). And there it remained until I placed it in a drawer all by itself, still sealed shut, only with a lot more tape around the edges now.
But really, I am now more excited than ever to find out the big surprise after the baby's born. It's more than miraculous to have a baby floating around poking me from my insides--and for me, knowing the sex wouldn't make it any more miraculous. There's a whole, brand-new person in there! How could it get better than that?
But I am glad that the Beetle was the perfect secret-keeper on that very tempting first day.
We had the halfway-point (20 week) ultrasound last Friday morning, in which Brad, me, and my mom stared at the screen in amazement for almost all of the 45-minute exam. The rest of the time the ultrasound-er told us when to look away, since Brad and I are still hoping to keep the little one's gender a surprise until it's born!
I don't know what my mom and Brad were doing to distract themselves while the big secret was being broadcast, because I had my head turned away with my eyes shut, and only occassionally opened them to peek at Brad to make sure he was peeking at my mom to make sure she wasn't peeking at the screen.
The ultrasound-er didn't help any when she kept exclaiming, "Okay, REALLY don't look right now...yup, I can definitely tell what you're having...you REALLY don't want to look now." My eyes were actually tearing up from all the willpower it was taking me NOT to look (or to tell her to knock it off with the taunting!).
In any event, we all made it through the exam with our honor intact, and I was feeling confident and proud of us for having toughed it out. And then the ultrasound-er gave us some pictures from the exam...plus one separate one, taped (with only one flimsy piece of tape) in an envelope. "Just in case you want to open it later," she said. It had "Gender!" written across it.
We couldn't decide what to do with it, but since I knew it wouldn't last long with me or my mom together all day, I hid it in the Beetle (which Brad was driving that day). And there it remained until I placed it in a drawer all by itself, still sealed shut, only with a lot more tape around the edges now.
But really, I am now more excited than ever to find out the big surprise after the baby's born. It's more than miraculous to have a baby floating around poking me from my insides--and for me, knowing the sex wouldn't make it any more miraculous. There's a whole, brand-new person in there! How could it get better than that?
But I am glad that the Beetle was the perfect secret-keeper on that very tempting first day.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Our new arrival: the carseat!
Finding a safe, seemingly "easy" to use, and somewhat stylish carseat was daunting. (OK, "daunting" as far as a slightly extravagant baby-related purchase can get...it's still 90% fun!). Fortunately, I finally found one that met all of those criteria--and then it was discontinued. But, by a small but appreciated car-related miracle, it came back in stock long enough for me to buy it myself, and mark it off my own baby registry!
It arrived at work this week, and of course, I made all of my very generous and kind coworkers (thanks for reading, by the way!) admire it inside its enormous box. And then I asked the very kind and generous lone male in our group to "help me" carry it to my car, meaning I would unlock the car while he lugged the thing all the way out to it, and then lifted into the hatchback. (Thanks, John!)
Now, in Babies 'R' Us, the carseat seemed to be one of the more lightweight, not totally huge models. In its box...in my Beetle...well, I'm not quite as convinced that this thing is going to fit! Just the box was almost a tight squeeze. Although the box is a lot bigger than the actual seat, right?
In keeping with our new pregnancy motto...we'll just have to wait and see!
It arrived at work this week, and of course, I made all of my very generous and kind coworkers (thanks for reading, by the way!) admire it inside its enormous box. And then I asked the very kind and generous lone male in our group to "help me" carry it to my car, meaning I would unlock the car while he lugged the thing all the way out to it, and then lifted into the hatchback. (Thanks, John!)
Now, in Babies 'R' Us, the carseat seemed to be one of the more lightweight, not totally huge models. In its box...in my Beetle...well, I'm not quite as convinced that this thing is going to fit! Just the box was almost a tight squeeze. Although the box is a lot bigger than the actual seat, right?
In keeping with our new pregnancy motto...we'll just have to wait and see!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Can you have a New Beetle and a new baby?
Hi, everyone! First, a note: This is an insanely long blog post. It's just my "intro" to my blog, so please note that this won't be typical. Future posts will be much more reasonable in length! Back to the post...
I am currently, excitedly 16 weeks pregnant (the BabyCenter.com weekly update says the baby is about the size of an avocado this week). My husband, Brad, and I managed to contain our giddiness for starting a baby registry (or two) until last weekend, where we took turns going nuts with the scanner gun at Babies "R" Us and Target.
Now, in our enthusiasm for adding baby stuff to our registry, we scanned with wild abandon, with three restrictions in mind: 1) the baby's gender is a surprise (for now, at least), 2) I am all for non-electronic-music-spewing toys, and 3) our family cars will be a Toyota Prius and a VW New Beetle.
The Toyota Prius seems like an amply large family car to us both. To me, it seems enormous.
My first car (that I held onto until this last year) was a 1992 Suzuki Swift (named Suzi, for her abbreviated name on the car registration). Suzi was a spunky, spirited, candy-apple-red hatchback, which my dad and I made as spiffy as we could: fat tires, new paint, an added CD changer (her tape deck wasn't going to cut it), three different sets of nice speakers over the years (after they somehow kept blowing out), and even a new, shiny chrome tailpipe in the back.
My dad also added some mechanical stuff I didn't really understand, but I think she ran better because of during all my years of driving to high school and then on my 20-mile commute to UC Davis. I was assured she always had top-of-the-line spark plugs and a K & M Supercharger filter. I never really understood the true significance of those types of things (making it all the sillier that I have started an automotive blog!), but I did appreciate their result: Suzi was very forgiving of me when I learned to drive a stick-shift, she always was quick off a "starting line" (aka, a green light at an intersection), and she always fired up every morning.
I joked that I was going to buy some BMW Z3 logos to put on her, since she felt like a sports car to me, but she didn't need logos; she could zip around plenty without them.
Plus, she had amazing powers of storage space; far better than a sports car. With her back seat folded down, I could fit any giant art project needed for one of my classes inside. When I pulled up to the ceramics studio to haul home some enormous sculptures I'd made, the class TA admired Suzi and said that she had a similar car, and they were "the best little cars!" because they could hold anything. Suzi was definitely like the Mary Poppins' carpet bag of automobiles. She even held a 4-foot-high "sculpture" I'd made of my interpretation of pop-art-style swiss cheese, with room for me and Brad (who had to help me carry the cheese from UCD's art building to the parking lot.). Since I made the cheese with holes (naturally), I could even see out of the back window (sort of).
But, when I got my first post-college job, which would require a much lengthier commute until we moved into our house, it was time to buy a new vehicle. On my 23rd birthday, we went car shopping. I drove a Civic, but that particular one had no spirit to it. The dealer tried to convince me it was sporty because it came in red. Well, I already had a bright-red car that was punchy enough, thanks.
Then I did a test drive for an adorable, curvy, seemingly massive (to me) black 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle, that I couldn't stop thinking about all night. I wanted it, and looked up all the safety data that night to convince myself it would even be safe (it was). We went back the next day and got the same Beetle I had taken for a test drive. Even though it already had some miles on it, I had gotten attached to that one (OK, and they were all out of another color, but I wouldn't tell the Beetle that).
I then drove the new New Beetle right to the nearest Circuit City, because it needed a CD changer added, too! Go figure.
It was instantly clear that while Suzi had been a feisty female car, the Beetle was definitely a boy. It felt surprisingly, reassuringly heavy on the road, and, although it too was a hatchback, it seemed to command a little more stay-off-my-bumper respect from other drivers. Everyone tailgated little Suzi. Maybe only every other driver tailgates the Beetle.
Just as Suzi was my high school and college car, the Beetle was my "grown-up" car. It took me an hour each way to my first job. It took us to our wedding (we drove there together), got decorated by my bridesmaids with all the "Just Married" paraphernalia, and then took us on the most fun trip ever down I-5 to Disneyland for our honeymoon (instead of being tailgated, it seemed every other car beeped at us, had its occupants hanging out the windows waving and grinning at us, and giving us thumbs-up). And then it took us home from our honeymoon, and to our house! It was definitely my "grown-up" car.
When Brad and I wanted to embark on the biggest trip of all--having a kid!--we knew it was time for a four-door car. He sold his first car (a Mustang), I sold Suzi (to a friend of my parents, who I am assured loves Suzi as much as I did, and is even more interested in making her fully tricked out), and we bought a futuristic, snazzy, undeniably awesome Toyota Prius. To me, it's the ideal family car: lots of doors (well, more than two!), plenty big inside, and hopefully helping the planet that my kid will inherit.
When we found out we actually were expectant parents, I could already imagine a carseat in the Prius, and us reveling in all of its space and convenient door access to the backseat. I felt like it was practically a limo.
So I was surprised when we'd burst out with our upcoming baby news. I expected some of the questions: "When's it 'due'?!" (August 1), "Is it a boy or a girl (we don't know yet, and are trying to hold off on finding out to keep the surprise, if we can), and, "Are you getting rid of the Beetle?" Huh?
When my parents asked me, I could understand: My dad has spent many frustrating weekends and summer vacations working on the Beetle, and he now has a garageful of specialty European tools to prove it. It's strange that for a car that was originally so easy to work on by "the people," the New Beetles seem intentionally designed to be taken to the dealership to have even a should-be-simple battery replacement done. I thought there might be a little (understandable) relief in both my parents when they asked if the Beetle was headed for someone else's garage.
But so many people asked me if we were planning on trading in the Beetle that it was almost a routine question. How would we have room? Where would the baby stuff go? Is it really safe?
The Beetle, released in the U.S. in 1949, was originally conceived of by Hitler and intended to be a family car. Maybe a two-door hatchback could still be considered a family-sized car in parts of Europe, but in present-day California, it seems that no less than an SUV is the expectation for middle-class parents-to-be. (And let me just say here that I freely admit how lucky I am to be able to weigh the merits of different automobiles for fun. Having any sort of reliable transportation is pretty amazing, when you think about it.)
Brad and I hope that the Prius will be our primary car, but I'm planning on the Beetle remaining my car for errands, with and without the new arrival. I'm hoping that we'll find that it is entirely possible, practical--and even more fun!--to have a new baby and a New Beetle.
Let's find out how it goes!
I am currently, excitedly 16 weeks pregnant (the BabyCenter.com weekly update says the baby is about the size of an avocado this week). My husband, Brad, and I managed to contain our giddiness for starting a baby registry (or two) until last weekend, where we took turns going nuts with the scanner gun at Babies "R" Us and Target.
Now, in our enthusiasm for adding baby stuff to our registry, we scanned with wild abandon, with three restrictions in mind: 1) the baby's gender is a surprise (for now, at least), 2) I am all for non-electronic-music-spewing toys, and 3) our family cars will be a Toyota Prius and a VW New Beetle.
The Toyota Prius seems like an amply large family car to us both. To me, it seems enormous.
My first car (that I held onto until this last year) was a 1992 Suzuki Swift (named Suzi, for her abbreviated name on the car registration). Suzi was a spunky, spirited, candy-apple-red hatchback, which my dad and I made as spiffy as we could: fat tires, new paint, an added CD changer (her tape deck wasn't going to cut it), three different sets of nice speakers over the years (after they somehow kept blowing out), and even a new, shiny chrome tailpipe in the back.
My dad also added some mechanical stuff I didn't really understand, but I think she ran better because of during all my years of driving to high school and then on my 20-mile commute to UC Davis. I was assured she always had top-of-the-line spark plugs and a K & M Supercharger filter. I never really understood the true significance of those types of things (making it all the sillier that I have started an automotive blog!), but I did appreciate their result: Suzi was very forgiving of me when I learned to drive a stick-shift, she always was quick off a "starting line" (aka, a green light at an intersection), and she always fired up every morning.
I joked that I was going to buy some BMW Z3 logos to put on her, since she felt like a sports car to me, but she didn't need logos; she could zip around plenty without them.
Plus, she had amazing powers of storage space; far better than a sports car. With her back seat folded down, I could fit any giant art project needed for one of my classes inside. When I pulled up to the ceramics studio to haul home some enormous sculptures I'd made, the class TA admired Suzi and said that she had a similar car, and they were "the best little cars!" because they could hold anything. Suzi was definitely like the Mary Poppins' carpet bag of automobiles. She even held a 4-foot-high "sculpture" I'd made of my interpretation of pop-art-style swiss cheese, with room for me and Brad (who had to help me carry the cheese from UCD's art building to the parking lot.). Since I made the cheese with holes (naturally), I could even see out of the back window (sort of).
But, when I got my first post-college job, which would require a much lengthier commute until we moved into our house, it was time to buy a new vehicle. On my 23rd birthday, we went car shopping. I drove a Civic, but that particular one had no spirit to it. The dealer tried to convince me it was sporty because it came in red. Well, I already had a bright-red car that was punchy enough, thanks.
Then I did a test drive for an adorable, curvy, seemingly massive (to me) black 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle, that I couldn't stop thinking about all night. I wanted it, and looked up all the safety data that night to convince myself it would even be safe (it was). We went back the next day and got the same Beetle I had taken for a test drive. Even though it already had some miles on it, I had gotten attached to that one (OK, and they were all out of another color, but I wouldn't tell the Beetle that).
I then drove the new New Beetle right to the nearest Circuit City, because it needed a CD changer added, too! Go figure.
It was instantly clear that while Suzi had been a feisty female car, the Beetle was definitely a boy. It felt surprisingly, reassuringly heavy on the road, and, although it too was a hatchback, it seemed to command a little more stay-off-my-bumper respect from other drivers. Everyone tailgated little Suzi. Maybe only every other driver tailgates the Beetle.
Just as Suzi was my high school and college car, the Beetle was my "grown-up" car. It took me an hour each way to my first job. It took us to our wedding (we drove there together), got decorated by my bridesmaids with all the "Just Married" paraphernalia, and then took us on the most fun trip ever down I-5 to Disneyland for our honeymoon (instead of being tailgated, it seemed every other car beeped at us, had its occupants hanging out the windows waving and grinning at us, and giving us thumbs-up). And then it took us home from our honeymoon, and to our house! It was definitely my "grown-up" car.
When Brad and I wanted to embark on the biggest trip of all--having a kid!--we knew it was time for a four-door car. He sold his first car (a Mustang), I sold Suzi (to a friend of my parents, who I am assured loves Suzi as much as I did, and is even more interested in making her fully tricked out), and we bought a futuristic, snazzy, undeniably awesome Toyota Prius. To me, it's the ideal family car: lots of doors (well, more than two!), plenty big inside, and hopefully helping the planet that my kid will inherit.
When we found out we actually were expectant parents, I could already imagine a carseat in the Prius, and us reveling in all of its space and convenient door access to the backseat. I felt like it was practically a limo.
So I was surprised when we'd burst out with our upcoming baby news. I expected some of the questions: "When's it 'due'?!" (August 1), "Is it a boy or a girl (we don't know yet, and are trying to hold off on finding out to keep the surprise, if we can), and, "Are you getting rid of the Beetle?" Huh?
When my parents asked me, I could understand: My dad has spent many frustrating weekends and summer vacations working on the Beetle, and he now has a garageful of specialty European tools to prove it. It's strange that for a car that was originally so easy to work on by "the people," the New Beetles seem intentionally designed to be taken to the dealership to have even a should-be-simple battery replacement done. I thought there might be a little (understandable) relief in both my parents when they asked if the Beetle was headed for someone else's garage.
But so many people asked me if we were planning on trading in the Beetle that it was almost a routine question. How would we have room? Where would the baby stuff go? Is it really safe?
The Beetle, released in the U.S. in 1949, was originally conceived of by Hitler and intended to be a family car. Maybe a two-door hatchback could still be considered a family-sized car in parts of Europe, but in present-day California, it seems that no less than an SUV is the expectation for middle-class parents-to-be. (And let me just say here that I freely admit how lucky I am to be able to weigh the merits of different automobiles for fun. Having any sort of reliable transportation is pretty amazing, when you think about it.)
Brad and I hope that the Prius will be our primary car, but I'm planning on the Beetle remaining my car for errands, with and without the new arrival. I'm hoping that we'll find that it is entirely possible, practical--and even more fun!--to have a new baby and a New Beetle.
Let's find out how it goes!
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