Two Wheels One Baby

Best Valentine’s Day present ever was having Kyle for a three day weekend because of President’s Day.

Speaking of presidents, we watched the documentary produced by Edward Norton, By the People on Friday night. The documentary film that was originally about a young senator who had the ability to inspire the youth turned into a behind the scenes play by play of the 2008 election primaries. There were great scenes of the Obama family, Axelrod, Plouffe and interviews with big media. The best part about the film was that it transported me out of this negative gridlock that is our political system back into the time of hope. I have to believe that Obama will move us beyond this crap.
Kyle took Annika grocery shopping on Saturday while I worked out and bought ingredients to make Shepherd’s Pie. I made some gluten free crust for it and it turned out really well.
On Sunday morning, Valentine’s Day, I made Gluten free banana pancakes that turned out oh-so fluffy, apple chicken sausage, bacon and a feta-tomato-onion scramble.

Pancake Recipe:

• 2 c. Bob’s all purpose gluten free flour
• 1 tsp. xanthum gum
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt

• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp. oil
• banana
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 3/4 c. soy milk
• 1/4 c. goat yogurt
• 1/4 c. applesauce

Mix wet ingredients in blender. Sift dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients gradually.
Since Kyle and I aren’t hip on the Vday consumer thing, we rode our bikes with Annika in tote in the Burley trailer to Target and Crate & Barrel to spend gift cards that we had received. Kyle had his eye on some ear phones at Target and I wanted more lighting for our loft. After 5 minutes of hard core decision laboring at Crate & Barrel, we decided on this beauty.
Biking with Baby:
When I was still pregnant, I often thought about how I could bike with Annika. Because I cycled every day of the pregnancy until 2 days past my due date, I was jonesin’ to get back in the saddle after she was born, but I new it would take careful consideration. I was concerned with functionality, ease of use and safety, of course. We have owned a Burley Trailer for about 4 years now. It was originally bought for towing the dogs or camping. I was pretty dead set against using the trailer to transport Annika because my only experience with it was on dedicated bike trails, not street traffic. But, I knew there was no way she was going to be on the bike in a seat until she could wear a helmet so the trailer was my only option.
Kyle harnessed her car seat base into the trailer so getting her in and out would be a simple click away. And as far as the safety issue is concerned, she is strapped into the car seat just like she would be in a car. Both the roll bar on the car seat and the roll bar on the trailer protects her head. Technically, this rig is not legal for her because Massachusetts law states that all children must wear a helmet, but I would argue that she is much safer this way than a child wearing a helmet, sitting in a seat mounted on the bike.
Pros:

1. protects her from the elements – wind, cold, rain, street dust
2. efficient – not that much heavier
3. load bearing – I can toss a bunch of stuff in the trailer with her
4. sturdy – absorbs shocks from street potholes and bumps
5. compatibility – switches between different bikes
6. safe
7. snooze machine – she passes out!

Cons:

1. set up – takes about 5 minutes to attach the trailer (luckily we’re blessed to live in a condo that provides an outdoor bike shed)
2. big footprint – hard to store
3. expensive

And to top off the Valentine’s Day, I bought this appropriately branded Cabernet, Cyles Gladiator, from Darwins LTD. on our hot chocolate pit stop. I’m a sucker for labeling. Speaking of labeling, I just visited the wine’s website and it turns out that they are banned in Alabama because it’s deemed pornographic. Oh Alabama, I’m speechless. If anyone wants to buy me a present, I’d love the t-shirt, ‘banned in Alabama’ from their website.