Problem-solving

So we've come up with a few solutions to the logistical issues we've been having as a result of living in a fourth floor apartment. The conditions still aren't ideal, but things are a little more manageable than they used to be. For example, I mentioned the whole dog walking thing, about having to lug Alex up and down five flights of stairs with a dog and a leash and a poo bag and keys, having to maneuver through doors with key fobs and the whole nine. Well, before the baseball game last month, I remembered that sling I bought in KC back when...ha, back when we thought we were gonna end up in KC, when A was about two months old. I used it a few times - three to be exact, including the ball game. Well worth the seventy-two bucks I spent on it. Anyway, I realized that it would work great in this capacity, as well.

Although I generally keep an arm under him just in case, my poor, puny arm doesn't bear all of his weight, and I basically have two free hands to do what I gotta do to wrangle Murph and open doors.

You might also notice the blue disposable diaper bag dispenser (say that 5X fast) attached to Murph's leash. Apparently they make such a thing specifically for dog poo because I saw them in the doggy boutique, with dispensers shaped like bones and such, and that gave me the idea to use one of the extra ones that I had for Alex. That way, wherever Murph goes - and thus, wherever Murph's poo goes - there's always a bag there, too.

One other little hassle that has arisen since moving here is trying to get a trunkful of groceries from the car to the apartment. What always starts out as a quick trip for the "essentials" ends a hundred and fifty bucks later, because you just couldn't pass up that two-fer-one special on gallon-size jars of herring in cream sauce. I always bring the big stroller when embarking on such errands as this so that I have a little extra help carrying the stuff back. Of course, Alex is usually with me, and seeing as the little booger isn't walking yet, he needs to ride in the stroller, as well. Cuz that's kind of the whole point anyway, isn't it?

You'd think a situation like this would be an incentive for him to start walking so that he wouldn't have to share his stroller with diapers and carrots and milk and meat. Oh, and herring in cream sauce. Lots of it.