Bring on Summer

Last Saturday was the first decent day in weeks, so we decided to go out for a family walk. They're doing some major sewer work up our street, making it near impossible to maneuver a stroller. Damn inconvenient, but I guess that's the price you pay to ensure your shit flows free and easy. So it seemed like as good a time as any to try out the new baby backpack my brother-in-law gave us.

We strolled to get a coffee, then dropped in to visit the Diaper Dame, Dread Pirate Robert and their son Milo. P and the Dame are good friends, but I've never met them before. It was a bit surreal, I know them only through their blogs, but they are as entertaining in person as they are in writing, and they look like their pictures too. From there we went for ice cream before heading home. Good family walk.



All in all the backpack was an unanimous success. The Boy loved being back there, sitting up and being able to check out the world around him. I liked having my hands free and not being confined to only places large enough for a stroller; looks like the backpack is going to get a lot of use.



But while it was thumbs-up all around for the backpack, getting The Boy ready for the backpack was thumbs-down. We have to dress him warmly for the stroller, but that usually just involves a bunting bag and blanket, fairly straightforward. For the backpack we had to get him into pants, shoes, sweater, jacket and a hat, just too many pieces to pull his little arms and legs through, not to mention he's completely overheated by the time he's dressed. The Boy was pissed and started howling, and we hadn't even zipped his jacket up yet. I can't wait for summer - T-shirt, shorts, hat and we're good to go.