A Little Family Trip

Given that we have a long weekend ahead of us, my family and I decided we would head up to Austin to spend some time with my sister Gina, and go on a bit of an “food tour” of Austin, remembering all of our favorite eateries.

Not only was the prospect of enjoying restaurants like the Cheesecake Factory and Brick Oven Pizza exciting to us, but we were also thrilled because this was the first time our newborn daughter Frida Sol Ozuna would be leaving the Valley – it was her first little vacation. At 7-weeks-old, she was already following in the footsteps of her parents and becoming a little traveler herself.

For myself, this actually a learning experience on many different levels. As a new dad, I have to admit that I am constantly nervous about my young daughter’s interactions with the world; some would call me paranoid.  But I know that I also have to give her room to grow, and that it’s important for her to be protected, but also to be out in the world, exploring. She is big, healthy, and strong, so I felt confident she would handle the road trip and capital city just fine.

It was also a lesson in preparation: as a newborn, this little girl needs more than most of us, and required quite a bit of packing. Pampers, wipes, a place to sleep, blankets, a stroller, carseat and plenty of other baby items have been packed up.

And like that, we are gone, another great adventure underway.