So, we went stroller shopping again yesterday, and the Aria fit fine in my trunk, but I don’t want it anymore. It felt wobbly, flimsy, and I didn’t like the harness design. We were both happy with the BOB though. Decided to register for it in red blue red.
So, I’m back in search mode for the throw-in-the-trunk-and-go stroller, now considering Zoopers and Chiccos. I want lightweight, yet not flimsy, prefer a snack tray, big easy-access basket, easy folding, good padding on seat. I know anything I choose now is a total gamble — the baby/child will have his own preferences.
There’s an aspect of this process that is like Christmas for me. I get to pick what I like. (Oooooh, black-and-aqua! Pretty…) We’ll deal with the right/wrong-ness of this decision when the real being arrives with his own opinions, later.
This weekend was a rough one. While friends have been calling me all week, weeping (literally) over various crises themselves, I had counted myself lucky (don’t count your chickens — and by the way, have I mentioned that I really want to get a couple of backyard chickens?) that I hadn’t melted down. I did suspect that given the high number of calls I’d received, maybe something cosmic was going on.
My meteorite hit on Saturday morning. It started with a strange panic when my husband described a new line of toys he’s excited to buy for the boy, superhero Fisher-Price stuff (and of course we have to get two of everything so the boy can have one new-in-box for when he wants to sell it on e-bay in 20 years).
Funk commenced as I imagined all the money we will so easily spend on the boy and not on me. Poor me.
Then, on our way out, I discover that perhaps a boulder, or a kangaroo, or a teenager fell, bounced, or sat on the hood of my car during the night. My 9-year-old Jetta that was holding up so well, and not looking half-bad. Until now. Sigh.
Just could not de-funk-i-fy all day, and into the next.
And then the drama of stroller shopping: Must do this perfectly, must choose best stroller, must find most efficient ratio of cost-to-features, must get it done now… Not to mention that I’d been completely shutting Scott out of the decision-making process on all things (stroller, glider, furniture, et.al.), which made him quite cranky. And he just wanted me to be done already. The Aria fit. Why struggle?
So we fought. Productively, like a really good nose blow. And then, the funk lifted.
Suddenly, I understood one simple thing. Stroller decision (or insert object of choice) is whatever it is. I personally add unnecessary stress on top by worrying about it. He only wants us to be done with it because the stress of living with me while I stress is what’s not fun.
This might be obvious to you, but for me, it was a revelation.
I get to fiddle with this decision as long as I want, as long as I’m not so freaking miserable about it.
Good luck to you, darling, in all of this. Sounds like you’re finding your equilibrium.
THe stroller scene has changed in the 6-8 years since we needed them. I am seeing all manner of new and quirky and cool designs, even in our late-adapter neighborhood. (Maybe it’s not all that late anymore). For instance, I saw a double tiered jogging stroller the other day. Here came an empty stroller down the street, and I laughingly joked to the parent – where’s the baby?
“Oh, one of them is under there, the other one is with his mom.” I looked – what I assumed was a very large cargo basket was actually another baby bucket, underneath the hammock-like upper seat. Weird. LIttle brother can’t see anything but this giant red canvas that contains his bigger sibling, who gets to see all. Somehow looks unfair to me.
THen there’s that bizarre stroller that’s high up on one pillar, kind of like a swivelling office chair that has been rotated up way above the usual height for sitting.
I have no earthly idea which brands are good anymore, which designs are most functional. But I’ll bet that it’s just like when we were trying to figure it out – you’ll make decisions and then adapt to your actual life with baby. And the stroller that works in ’07-08 won’t work in ’08-09, etc. And then one day you’ll be done with strollers and it will be on to something else about which to obsess. I am worried about whether I read to kids enough, whether I should make more playdates for one and do more small motor practice with the other. And what about peak oil? And which school should they go to next year? etc.
Ah, yes, that two-tier stroller is the Phil & Ted. It’s the new big thing because it’s a one-er that converts to a two-fer. We couldn’t conceive (pun?) of thinking that far ahead so decided to forgo. Hadn’t thought about the lousy view issue for the rolling younger. Good point.
Re: view for younger – when we had the now archaic front to back (inline) double stroller, the baby (five or six months) would lean out to one side so he could see around big brother. I had to be careful he didn’t get whapped in the skull by me going too close to a tree or something.
I may have missed earlier posts about your dilemma and believe me, I can relate. I WAS you! Have you tried the Peg Perego Pliko P3 for your throw-in-the-trunk-and-go option? Easy folding, good padding, fully reclines, snack tray… I just used one for a week in CO, so compact that we had no trouble fitting it in a van with 5 kids, 2 adults, and 4 suitcases! Yikes!
Thanks Ria! We did end up registering for the Pliko P3, and then the Zooper Twist for the umbrella/travel/lightweight stroller. Now I’m on to furniture…!
I’m a bit late commenting on this, but I’d be interested to know whether the Pliko P3 and the Zooper Twist lived up to your expectations.
Hey there!
I returned the P3 before the baby was born. Kept and loved — still love — the Zooper Twist. Later we bought a BOB. The umbrella and jogger together seem to meet all of our stroller needs. Pegs are pretty, but if I can generalize — too much weight, too much plastic, open/close mechanisms too complicated.
That’s great! I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Zooper Twist.
Thanks also for the nice comment you left on my website.
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Nice post! Well you should take for account the usability than the style and brand. My two cents worth.