January 20, 2015 - Practice using a stroller

My recent trip to Babies 'R' Us introduced me to a variety of products that I had never seen before (a Baby Whirlpool and Spa...really?).  It also showed me that even the products I was more familiar with (car seats, bibs, diapers, etc) had an incredible amount options and came in numerous varieties.  So not only do I have to learn how to use these products correctly, I also have to figure out which kind to purchase.  And even before this, I have to figure out if it's something that we really need in the first place!

One product that I am sure we will need will be a stroller.  Whether it's the pram that my parents kept for me, or a rugged jogger, we will have to find some way to cart Nugget around without carrying him.  I am not very familiar with the operation of strollers, but I do a good deal of the grocery shopping in our house, so that's gotta count for something, right?  Last night, I decided to get a little more practice with the real thing.

My coworker was kind enough to let me borrow her son's old stroller.  Apparently, this did not fly as well with her son, who peppered her with a barrage of questions. "Where are you taking my stroller?" he asked, even though he hadn't had to use it in several years.  After she explained that I was using it for baby practice, he seemed ok with the idea (thanks Max!).

Once Elizabeth got home last night, I strapped in my surrogate Nugget (that babydoll is getting a lot of work this month!), and we hit the block.

Out for a stroll...

The first thing I noticed was the apparently poor condition of my neighborhood's sidewalks.  I never thought about it before, but pushing the stroller accentuated every dip and slant in the pavement.  I found myself worrying that the baby was being jostled...and it's a damn doll (it was dark enough for people not to see this fact...hopefully...)

The stroller itself was constructed well, and I'm sure that I was overreacting (again...about a doll).  It had pretty solid shocks that held steady even as I ran over larger dips and curbs.  I practiced maneuvering around obstacles (our trusty dog, Merlin, was the best of these, as he seemed to zig and zag in front of me at every turn). It took some concentration that I normally don't use with walking (which is probably a reason why I find myself tripping over myself and being a general klutz).  Dangers have to be assessed quicker, because you're pushing something out in front of you.  I apologize in advance, Nugget, for any accidents that are sure to come your way.

With all that being said, we made it around the block without a problem, and I'm confident that with more practice I'll feel completely comfortable with pushing Nugget around the world.  Now if I can only find someone to do the same for me...


A note on Merlin during this experience:  At first, I was in charge of the stroller.  I feel like I did an alright job, and I even went off of the curbs in the correct way (instead of the Evil Knievel approach that I would have used if Elizabeth hadn't have been there).  But all along the way, Merlin was tugging on Elizabeth in his normal walking frenzy ("WE ARE ON A WALK OH MY GOSH!").

Elizabeth wanted to see if she could handle both the stroller and our rambunctious canine at the same time.  She took Merlin's leash in one hand and the stroller in the other.  I stepped back and waited for Merlin to take off and for the stroller to go flying.

But instead, Merlin stayed with the stroller.  It's like he knew that something was different and that things needed to be slowed down.  He walked right along side of it, protecting the stroller and it's cargo, protecting it.  Good dog, Merlin, good dog.