Piper has been all over town lately as Kristin and Lily take advantage of the spring-like weather we've been having when 70 mph winds aren't ripping telephone poles from the ground. On Saturday, we celebrated Alison and John's birthdays in Millburn at Cafe Monet. Piper's first visit to a restaurant turned out to be a French bistro rather than Applebees, but she was a doll and turned out to be a hit with the couple at the table next to us. Thankfully, the Orbit stroller is compact. Even though the restaurant is cozy inside, we were able to nestle it between us, and no one tripped over it.
Choosing between carrying on about the restaurant or the stroller is a tough call. Cafe Monet is run by Tracy and Wes whom we first met in Chatham years ago when they owned The Show Bistro in town. Sadly, there were problems with the landlord, and they moved to Millburn, but that's 10 minutes away, so the best French food we've had outside of France is always within reach. Our favorite story is from our anniversary last year. We didn't feel like eating out, so we asked if they could do take out. Wes (the French-trained Egyptian chef) was a gem--he picked the menu for us; plated it on the restaurant's china; and watched in amazement as I pulled away with his best work riding in the sidecar. When I returned the next day, we shared cafe-au-lait outside the restaurant and talked about the motorcycle.
The Orbit stroller is turning out to be quite a conversation piece. We haven't seen anyone else with one around here, and when people did see us with it, we didn't warrant a second look. Then Giada deLaurentis featured it on the Today Show recently, and now we get lots of questions. It really is a treat to use. The thing folds up like landing gear on a fighter jet--and just as quick. Tossing it in the car for a run to the supermarket is no hassle at all, and finding a spot for it in the house was easy: it's about the size of a carry-on bag when folded. I'm a huge fan of it, but I do recognize it's foibles. The wheels were a complaint (the air valves were awkwardly placed), but Orbit changed the design and kindly shipped us a new pair when I asked. The front wheels do need some work. They don't give very well on rough sidewalks, so we'd like to see a springier suspension on those. The handle is a problem for me. I'm definitely in the single-bar stroller handle camp. The "pistol grip" trend is a bit frustrating. I just don't think the control is there with the pistol grips, and even though they are adjustable, there is enough play in them to make me wonder what happened to the guy who did such an amazing job engineering the folding base? Despite those minor complaints, though, I do think it's a great piece of engineering, and I heartily recommend it.
Everyone seems to ask, "How's Lily doing with the baby?" I'm happy to report that Lily is at once an attentive mother hen and jealous first-born. If Piper cries at night, Lily is up and letting Kristin know. Not that Kristin's Spider Sense isn't tuned to high-sensitivity already, but it's cute that Lily tries. She's also more wary of strangers at the door. Everyone gets a warning "WOOF!" now. Lily has always been a creature of habit, but she gets credit for being flexible as we work Piper into our schedule.
The long walks are now during the day with Kristin and Piper, but we still enjoy a stroll together when I get home from work. After a long day of swinging, spitting up, and staring at everything around her, Piper loves to curl up with Lily in her bed. Lily? She still prefers the box the Milk Bones came in.
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