Trying on your car

So, as some of you know, Brad was in a car accident in our 2007Prius a couple of months ago. The old Prius really took one for the team, as they say, and is no longer with us, but thank God, the universe, the airbags, total luck, and anything else that played a role, Brad came out of the accident perfectly fine. The Prius was a mess, but it did its job, and we had no hesitation to buy another one, exactly the same (only in a slightly different shade of blue). And, it's definitely fun to have a brand-new car!

2008 Prius in Spectra Blue Mica (our color, Toyota's picture. That's not us hopping out of the car at a chic hotel--if it were, we'd be lugging around a lot more stuff! LOL)

Actually, since Brad hasn't been able to drive, he hasn't even gotten to drive the new car (which is no fun for him!).

(Let me take this opportunity to give a public-service announcement about voluntarilly waiting a few minutes after receiving a new vaccine for the first time to make sure your body responds well to it!)

Brad will be able to drive again in a couple of weeks, but so far, I've been the only driver of the new car, and the Beetle's been mostly sitting in the garage. Although I'm a fan of saving gas, and the Prius's four doors certainly make it easier to hoist Henry around, I have to say that I'm looking forward to mostly driving the Beetle again.

The Beetle is a good fit for me--and I don't just mean in looks or "personality." I mean in the way I sit in the car, it is vastly more comfortable for me than the Prius.

I love the Prius. It's a testament to how much I love it that, knowing that the driver's seat is uncomfortable for me, we still got another one! (OK, so it's intended to be Brad's car, so my driving comfort didn't really matter that much. It's just an odd circumstance that I happen to be driving it exclusively right now.)

But that darn seat makes my shoulders and back hurt and my arms tingle if I drive it more than a couple of hours a day. (And, alas, in traffic and if I'm dropping off Brad and picking him up, that could be over 3 hours of driving!) And the crazy thing is that, at least on the 2007 and 2008 models, I cannot figure out how to really adjust the seat or the wheel satisfactorally. The rental car we had for a while had fancy automatic tilt adjustments and everything--it was awesome. The Prius, for all of its futuristic features, has a seat that's stuck in the Stone Age. I really hope they change that in the 2010 model.

Fred's car has more seat adjustments than our Prius offers (by the way, I found this photo at a funny account of driving a Smart Car).

The weird thing about the seat is that it's not something I would ever have noticed on a test drive, because it only bothers me when I've been driving for a long time. The passenger seat, by the way, is totally comfortable. It's something about the position of the seat, pedals, and steering wheel that's all wrong for me.

Anyway, my point in all of this is that whatever our next car might be, however far in the future, I'm going to try and rent the car and drive it for a week before buying it.

Fortunately, Henry doesn't seem to care what car he's riding in--he's happy to look out the window, play with toys, and usually fall asleep! I think that despite the seat issues and the accident, we're having pretty good automotive luck overall (knocking on my Ikea wood desk). Getting from A to B safely, and even happily with a 5-month-old, is good enough for me.

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.

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.

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.

jeans and genes

I tried to find some decent-fitting pants today, as Brad wandered Ann Taylor with Henry, looking wide-eyed at all the bright and sparkly holiday clothes, and very happy facing out (finally!) in the Baby Bjorn. I was unsuccessful in finding any jeans (or other pants) that were better than the maternity pants I was currently wearing. So yes, I am still wearing maternity pants!

Anyway, after Henry was sleeping soundly tonight (maybe dreaming of colors and shapes he'd never seen until visiting today's Christmas-decorated mall!), Brad and I settled onto the couch to watch DVR'd shows we'd been meaning to catch up on. Brad fell asleep almost instantly (he got up with Henry last night so I could sleep some more!). I, having had a nap AND a Frappucino this afternoon, took this as a sign it was a good time to watch my recorded Oprah of the day.

One of the topics of today's show was 23 and me, a company that seems to make it shockingly easy to find out all about your genetic history and predisposition to traits and diseases. It was like I was suddenly watching a sci-fi movie. But it was just Oprah.

It's amazing to me that you can get this information for $399. I know it's a lot of money, but you'd have this information about yourself for the rest of your life--and maybe the information you get could make your life better. Or not.

I didn't opt to do any genetic testing while I was pregnant. The only condition I was concerned with, due to a slight family history, was one I'd had the test done long ago for anyway, and I wasn't a carrier. I just didn't really want to know any more. And, as crazy as this sounds, not only did I not want to find out the baby's sex before it was born, but I started to think--toward the end, after having many ultrasounds--that maybe I shouldn't even be getting so many ultrasounds. Maybe it's not good to intrude on what's still a mystery. (OK, they were necessary for health reasons, so of course I would have gotten them. And I did like peeking in on the baby. But I started to feel a little weird about it.)

But, I'm still interested in the concept of this DIY genome kit.

Maybe the difference now has to do with wanting to protect myself and my family however I can--and now that we're all here, if I find out I have a likely chance of getting, say, osteoporosis, I could make myself and future children eat a lot of organic milk. (Or whatever could help prevent that.) You get the idea.

On the other hand, percentages are not guarantees, and maybe learning there's a good chance of a certain condition would only make you focus on the negative, and be afraid of it. I don't know. How could you know if the results would make you confident or worried?

It is undeniably, crazilly futuristic, though. I am still impressed at the amazingness of e-mail or IM, sometimes (seriously!). So this just blows my mind.

I wonder what kind of traits it tells you. I'm sure it covers many diseases, but what else? Can it delve into nature-vs.-nurture topics, like "natural" talents or skills?

I don't know if I'd ever do the test. But it's pretty intriguing to know I could. And it would really take the family tree concept to a whole new level.

On the town

Henry, the Beetle, and I have been getting out a little bit more--mostly using our feet (and the stroller), but also driving around.

Ready for a trip!

I took Henry to my office for the first time (well, the first time when my coworkers were actually there), and he provided me with the very educational experience of changing my first diaper in the trunk of the Beetle. It was just loaded with experience.

Then, when I had the diaper changed and my baby was smiling at me from the trunk of my car, and I was feeling quite pleased, he peed before I could get the new diaper on him. Another learning experience.

And yet another, more embarrassing one (for me, anyway) this afternoon:

I venture to Target, just me and Henry. He is a dear and doesn't even make a peep the whole time we're in the store, even though he wakes up halfway through our trip. I get to checkout, manage to have a little bit of conversation with the checker and the person in line behind me, pay for everything, and stride confidently to the doors. A great trip! I am so satisfied with myself. Then I hear, "Ma'am!" and turn to see all of my purchases in bags, waiting for me at checkout.

I thought I was doing much better on sleep, but apparently not.

(As a side note, as the checker is yelling, "Ma'am!" and waving me down, I turn and some guy next to me says, "Your shirt." I looked down and saw nothing wrong with my shirt, so who knows what was going on there. I actually don't want to know.)

Just when I start to feel like I've got it together, another "learning experience" pops up and makes me feel that having it all together is a hopeless endeavor. I think I just have to be glad that Henry and I both ended up successfully buying things and getting them home, without either of us crying. And that at least if I had to forget something on the shopping trip, it wasn't Henry.

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!

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!]

Ready to roll

Our baby arrived--exactly one month ago today!

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.