Some thoughts

Now Alec is back to work (really nice to have a three-day weekend happen to fall now!) so Clementine and I will be left to our own devices during the day.  This has caused me to consider something which has been pulling at me particularly since returning to my homeland.  How does my life change with a baby?  Also, what made us think we should travel internationally with a three month old?

I think it comes down to the fact that we never considered that we shouldn't.  At home, we've had Clem out and about since the day she came out of the hospital.  I feel very comfortable going into the city and getting on and off of the train.  I'm still working up to the tram because it's above ground and you have to shlep that stroller up a few stairs, it makes me uncomfortable to rely on someone else to help me get up there.  If I'm going to go anywhere in San Francisco I'll have to put my big girl pants on and do it anyway because all the trams are above ground!

Here, and especially now that Alec isn't with me, I'm a bit more out of my comfort zone.  I was nervous this morning to go to breakfast alone with Clementine.  We've been going to this small diner around the corner called Irving St Cafe and it's just a counter with a few tables, I didn't want to be that woman who crams her pram into the only available walking space.  I tried it anyway, what's the worst that could happen?  Turns out it was completely fine, the cafe wasn't busy because I got there early on a Monday and Clem slept while I enjoyed many cups of coffee and a new magazine.

Alec and I had a long conversation last night where we both admitted that sometimes we feel momentarily very frustrated about the prospect of doing things like travel or eating in a cramped restaurant with a baby.  We've moved spontaneously all over the world and this tiny girl is making us slow down just a bit.  It's so easy to go, nope it won't fit, better just stay home!  But if you wait just a minute past that inclination, it usually turns out okay but a little different.

So that is our travel motto I guess, slow down just a bit, try the thing you wanted to do anyway even if it feels uncomfortable at first.  So far it's worked marvelously.





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Ps.  No pictures on this post!  We left yesterday with the camera for our adventures and then when I got it out to start taking pictures realized I'd left the memory card in my computer.  Poo.  I'm going to try and write more in the future.

Wandering San Francisco

I feel a little guilty about the blog, I haven't updated as often as I'd like even though I have a whole bunch of material from goings on in Phoenix.  I was having too much fun sitting around my parents house with my siblings to be bothered.  It will filter through eventually!

This weekend Clementine and I met Alec in San Francisco where he'd been for two weeks, so our little family is reunited.  We are staying in a home we found on Airbnb in the Sunset neighborhood right across from Golden Gate Park.  We have plenty to explore, it is quite urban and the neighborhood is filled with small businesses and restaurants.


Onto the pictures!

Watch out, cute baby with a sun hat!

Our house is only a couple houses down from the park.  We meant to go to a museum but it was so sunny and lovely that we spent the day wandering instead.  The first thing we came to was this FREAKING AMAZING ice cream truck.

Seriously.  So good and so many options.

We shared one of these badboys.  Organic chocolate soft serve on a home made waffle cone with fair trade dark chocolate dip and Maldon sea salt.  I'm not even making this up.

Note to self: do not try and eat chocolate ice cream while breastfeeding in the future.  This naturally ended up down the front of my white shirt, but I have to say it was worth it.

I laughed so hard when I saw this picture that I had to include it, even though I obviously look ridiculous.  I was making faces at Clem and yes that is chocolate on my face.  

I am a serious grown up.

This species of succulent also grows all over Melbourne, but these ones were at least a foot across.  

I wonder why they are so much bigger here.

Also giant Agave plants.

...And then we didn't take pictures for many hours because we were having too much fun.  We wandered to Richmond where we looked at cute shops and had Hawaiian BBQ chicken.

We ended the day back in front of this section of the park which is right in front of the museums.  

There were hundreds of people milling around enjoying the last of the sunshine.

We wandered to the fountain and sat on a bench watching people for a while.

Oh look, it's me!  This time without chocolate all over my face.