Hello. Firstly congratulations on the success you've had, it is lovely to hear of a well rested LO
With regards counting chickens... just bare in mind that he will keep growing and changing, 'A' times will lengthen (so don't get too comfortable in knowing your routine as you need to allow it to change), there will be growth spurts, developmental spurts, teething and a whole host of things that will come along (often) to disrupt what you and your LO have now got working so well. If you keep this in mind and always remember your BW methods you will at least know that things will get back on track after disruptions.
With that in mind - predicting naps is something that you will 'get' and then he'll change so you 'won't get' it any more. just try to go with it, watch for the sleepy cues as well as keeping an eye on the clock for his A time. I think you are right to want to get out and about, Lo will love it and you will feel more alive too. Naps in the pram, carrier (if you use one) or car are unavoidable if you are going out. Don't worry about it disrupting the cot naps or night sleep at home, your LO will adapt and get into the swing of things and you will continue to give him opportunities to sleep when he gives you the signal. DS and I go to baby group twice per week, sometimes we arrive a little late sometimes we leave a little early all depending on his cues and that day's EASY. If my DS would sleep in his pram I might put him in there and let him nap and stay on at the baby group so that I can get my fill of social time too, but unfortunately for me DS doesn't take to napping in the pram much. I usually time my car journeys to and from an activity to coincide with a nap and I take a book with me so he can continue to nap while I park up and read. If I didn't do this we'd never get out.
You might find that pulling the pram hood over is enough to block out external visual stimulus so he can sleep, he won't necessarily need it to be dark but might need help to block out all the exciting stuff around him or he'll get OS and OT.
Someone I know can put her LO down on any bit of floor even surrounded by toys and he will fall to sleep as long as he is handed a blanket! Wow! If you can talk your LO into that you'd be on a winner, otherwise just do your best to balance nice trips out with opportunities for naps roughly when he would like them.
Yes I think planning the car journey to your dad's for a nap time would be a good idea. Especially if there is a 1.5 - 2 hr nap you know is quite regular (ie am or pm even if you don't know the exact time of it) and if you are able to be flexible about your departure time. I'd get everything ready to go and then just play with LO until his sleepy cues, jump in the car and away.
Pram ride anywhere counts as A until LO falls to sleep, it then becomes S. Any time not actually asleep is A time.
Depending on how he adapts to naps in pram when out etc you might find it is easy, or not! I had problems with DS for a few weeks when he had short naps, short A times (1 hr 40) and wouldn't nap in the pram, we were almost trapped at home. I worked out the only way to get out during that difficult spell was to have everything ready to go, when he woke get him straight out the door, arrive at the park, feed him on a park bench, let him see some sky/trees/birds, then quickly get him back in the car and dash home in time for the next nap! Sounds hellish doesn't it? It wasn't the easiest thing I've ever done but we did manage to get out.
When you take him out remember to give him sleep cues just as he gives them to you, so if you have a phrase you say or shush pat do a little so he gets the idea.
