"BOB"

I love to go for a walk/run with the boys. Or just walk over to the bay. Anything to be outside. And anything to use our new "BOB" jogger. Rachel, what a recommendation! If you want the best there is, this is it. It feels like you are pushing nothing at all. Me and "BOB" are friends for life! "BOB" was worth every single penny I spent on him.

However, getting to the point that we can actually go outside and use "BOB" takes some careful planning and precision. A typical pre-BOB experience goes as follows:

1. Make sure Elijah has just eaten. Sometimes he only goes one hour from the end of one feed to the start of the next so we don't have much time.


2. Make sure Isaac is post-nap and post-eating.


3. Change into my exercise clothes.


4. This behavior alone alerts dog that something great is about to occur.


5. Commence dog "crying". This is an excited behavior for Scrubs but absolutely drives me batty!


6. Have Scrubs down stay in the middle of the living room. After trying many different things I have found that this is the best way to keep him from crying to the point that I want to strangle him. Down staying also helps him from getting underfoot as he follows me everywhere in preparation for the walk.


7. Get Eiljah buckled into his car seat in "BOB".


8. Prop pacifier for Elijah.


9. Cover Elijah with blanket (if necessary).


10. Put Isaac in his side of "BOB".


11. Give Isaac a little snack to hold him over until I am ready to push "BOB" out the front door.


12. Make sure I have: sunscreen, plastic bag (for Scrubs if needed), sunglasses, and burp cloths.


13. Call Scrubs to join us.


14. Leash Scrubs.


15. Have Scrubs sit and stay.


16. Prop open screen door.


17. Push "BOB" outside.


18. Call Scrubs to join us yet again.


19. Commence walking.

Okay, so that is the approximately twenty minute procedure that is required to go for a walk/run with "BOB". I say all that to emphasize how distraught I was yesterday when I took twelve steps out onto the driveway only to discover:

BOB HAS A FLAT TIRE!!!!!!! Oh BOB, how could you let me down like this?!

I literally wanted to cry. I thought about switching the boys over to our double stroller instead, but it was very bright, cold, and windy and the stroller really has very little protection for Isaac who sits in the very front. "BOB" has a huge canopy top that keeps him well covered and protected from the elements. But, "BOB" had let me down. "BOB" had a flat tire!

Back into the house we go. Poor Scrubs didn't even get to get a jog on. Poor Isaac didn't even have a chance to finish his snack. Poor Elijah was still waiting for the smooth walking motion to take effect so he could fall asleep. And poor me for not seeing the tire was flat before I took off!

If I were a drinker, I think this experience would call for a beer or something. But since I'm not, and since I didn't have any chocolate in the house, I settled for some cheerios eaten off the end table with my oldest boy while Scrubs sat across the room just waiting for the okay to come scour the area for any lost snacks.

The good news is that after a $1.99 patch kit, and a husband who said he had done this a hundred times as a young boy on his bike, "BOB" is a new man! Tomorrow, we'll try again.