For awhile now I've been itching to put Astrid in a backpack carrier and go for a hike. In German the word for hike is "wandern". It's just what it sounds like, wandering around.I suggested to Uwe that we take the baby and go wandern. Uwe's response was, "Ack...Germans always want to wandern. I hate to wandern." But he went with us just the same and took us to a new spot we've never hiked before - Eaton Canyon in Arcadia, California.
Three's company.
This man hates to wandern but he's married to a woman who loves to wandern. =)
Baby Astrid strapped to Mommy's back in her carrier.
Uwe's always says that people must think he's a douche bag for making his wife carry the baby, while he walks around burden free. But actually I bought this backpack carrier just for me. It's designed for a woman, (it's light and compact). Uwe has back problems and he's not a backpack person. I on the other hand love backpacks. I can carry much more weight on my back than I can in my arms and it's much more comfortable for me. I like having my hands and arms free. I even chose a backpack style Baby Bjoern diaper bag over a traditional diaper bag.
Astrid is much heavier than the last time I carried her in this carrier (which was back in November 2005, in Montana). It took me awhile to get used to the weight and Astrid shifting around. But after awhile I got the weight distributed just right and I was all set.
Astrid loves to be outdoors. She especially loved the stream and hearing the sound of the water.
Here's a photo of Uwe standing next to the stream.
The anti-wanderer finally gives me a big smile. 
While we were there, we saw a Boy Scout troop. I remember when I was a Girl Scout all we did was arts and crafts while the boys went out camping and hiking in the wilderness. I always thought that was unfair and sexist. 
Just like I think it's sexist to think that the man should be the one to carry the baby on his back. I enjoy carrying Astrid on my back and I wouldn't have it any other way. (I'm actually glad that Uwe's not a backpack guy, because then we'd be fighting over who gets to carry Astrid.)
I would take Astrid out more often in the carrier, but it's hard for me to put it on and take it off by myself. I suppose I could prop it up on the couch and kneel down to get in and out of it, but it's so much easier when Uwe helps me put it on and take it off.
And out comes the baby. We made it back to the car just in time. The clouds were starting to roll in when we were hiking, and when we got back to the car it started raining.
We made a pitstop at Whole Foods to get some groceries/baby food, and to get some lunch. The indoor seating at the Whole Foods in Glendale is very limited so when we spotted someone leaving when we got there, we grabbed the table right away. While I fed Astrid her lunch, Uwe did the shopping and met back up with us when he was done, and then we ate lunch together.
After Astrid's lunch, and while still waiting for Uwe, Astrid got antsy (and I didn't have any toys with me) so I let her play with her spoon.
She used the spoon like a teething toy.
A man sitting at a table next to us (who also had a baby) showed us a trick with the high chair. If you turn the high chair upside down it becomes the perfect car seat holder.
When she got bored with her spoon, I let her play with the baby food jar. In the photo above doesn't it she looks like she's reading the ingredients on the label?
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1 comment:
wandern...
I think this has become my new word. :)
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