Today I went to Rotterdam with The Little Ninja to have his head measured for his helmet. We stuck him in a Bumbo seat with a play saucer and pulled what looked like the foot of some spotted panty hose over his head. The technician took digital pictures while spinning him around in the seat to get all sides. Some fancy computer program aligned the pictures using the dots on the head hose and came up with a 3D model of his head.
It was pretty cool, actually. And I was impressed to watch The Little Ninja sitting in the seat all by himself. Maybe we should get one of those things - Internet, he could SIT! But seeing as he's almost six months old now, he'll probably learn to sit one of these days anyway. So maybe we'll skip the Bumbo.
So by now that 3D model of my son's head has travelled cyberspace to the foam modelling people. They're going to make a physical model of his head and then fashion a helmet around that.
If that wasn't enough excitement, I got to choose the pattern for the helmet today! I was kind of disappointed, really. I thought there would be more selection. Still, I like the swirly blue one I picked. It'll be kind of like a bowling ball. But not quite that round. Or shiny.
Transport was a drag. I'm married to The Recyclist, so we're all eco-conscious and stuff. So we don't have a car. Which means I take public transport everywhere. Now, this is Holland, not Canada, so it's not the impossible task it might at first seem. However, travelling alone with a kid in a stroller makes certain transport options significantly more difficult than they would otherwise be. Like certain trams (streetcars) that have a raised floor, so I can't take these if I'm alone with The Little Ninja because I can't lift him and the stroller up the steps. And certain train stations that are under construction don't have elevators to the platforms; again - can't do it alone. As a result, the 58-minute route suggested by the handy public transport planner was a no go. I had to walk to a further stop than usual, where I took a bus to a further train station than usual, but one that did have an elevator. It was not a good connection.
Then, the level-floor train that was scheduled was replaced by a raised-floor train. Panicking, I managed to get us inside, but not in the right place so I had to sit on one of the pull-down seats rather than in a normal cushioned seat. Still. The train was on time and we got to Rotterdam on time. They also have raised-floor trams there, so I opted for the subway, which would leave me a longer walk, but that I was sure had elevators at both ends. On the way back, I realised that the particular tram that goes past the orthopedic centre is a level-floored one. Figures. I took that one downtown and went shopping. More on that next time.
Shopping complete, I headed for the nearest tain station: Rotterdam Central Station. I totally forgot, however, that Central Station is under construction and currently has no elevators. While I was trying to decide if it was worth it to take a tram back to the other station and calculate whether I'd still catch my train, a nice young guy handing out flyers offered to help me carry The Little Ninja up the stairs.
Is your jaw on the floor? Are you as surprised as I was? As I still am, hours later? That might be the first nice thing a stranger has done for me since I moved here. Six years ago.
This time the train WAS level-floored so yay. And I therefore didn't panic to get inside, but walked calmly to the correct door, allowing me to get a real seat. Yay. Not so yay was after I got off that train and went to catch the bus home. It's August still, right? That means it's summer, doesn't it? It was freaking cold and windy today (with showers) and the frigging bus didn't come. I watched two trams go by (the tall ones I can't get into alone) while I waited for the stupid bus. In the freaking cold and wind. And Ninja was getting upset too. Fun all around. Finally, though, we did get home. The next bus did come and we were home and warm not too long afterwards.
Sometimes, I wish we had a car. Today, for example, our trip would have been so much easier. And faster. But I, like my husband The Recyclist, love the Earth and am willing (for the moment at least) to suffer a few inconveniences for its sake. Or so I keep telling myself.
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