The Drivers Take a Road Trip

Above: The Drivers' 15-day-old daughter honors her native Texas with a visit to the state capitol. Not shown: The Driver and Mrs. Driver jaywalking into the middle of Congress Street to capture this photo.

This past weekend, the Driver family loaded up its precious cargo and... what else... started driving. The destination: Austin, TX. The Driver was invited to give a presentation at a fancy conference. And thankfully, Austin is home to some very special friends and family. So what better way to celebrate the Baby Driver's two-week birthday than with her very first road trip?

The kiddo proved to be an excellent traveling companion. Apparently, geography has no effect on her sleeping, eating and pooping -- all of which she performed like a little champion. Like Mrs. Driver, she was a little uncomfortable sleeping in a different environment. But her Mommy dutifully fed, burped, swaddled and comforted her into the wee hours while The Driver rested for his presentation.

After a successful conference, the Drivers spent the rest of the weekend with The Driver, Sr. (aka "Grampa"), the SuperCousins (nicknamed as such because the concept of second cousins is confusing even to grown-ups like The Driver -- and they're more like aunts and uncles anyway), the Great Aunt and Great Uncle. We also saw Aunt Presh, Uncle B and Mr. Jeff (who might need a different nickname -- possibly one that makes reference to his scary facial hair).

The Driver (and even Mrs. Driver) might have indulged in some well-earned adult beverages. There was lots of delicious food. And The Driver lost count after three Dr Peppers in one sitting.

Life was good.

After a delightful brunch with Aunt Presh and Uncle B, the Driver family reluctantly set a course for home.

What follows is a photo-documentary of some of the baby's favorite moments:

Above: The baby takes in Austin's famous Town Lake from The Drivers' hotel room.

Above: The baby enjoys brunch at Kerby Lane, an Austin brunch and baby landmark.

Above: No Driver family road trip would be complete without a pit stop at the Czech Stop. While the fresh sand is every bit as good as advertised, the Drivers prefer the kolaches.