Yesterday, I timidly started looking at BABY GEAR again. You know... the strollers... the bouncing, vibrating, rocking, moon launching, MP3 compatible contraptions that cost an arm and a leg and come in every color imaginable: wasabi green, lemonade yellow, mandarin orange, and deep plum.
All these color choices are making me hungry.
There is one contraption that far out does them all, however, in the area of uniqueness and SAY WHAT NOW?-ish-ness ... And there is a small part of me that MUST HAVE IT.
It's the Swiss Strolli Rider, and it attaches to practically any stroller.
How fun is that?
Here's why it's appealing to me: Ezra will be four years old by the time this coming baby is born, and we haven't used a stroller for him in the last two years or so. He's a roamer. But it would be nice to have SOME place to corral him while I'm pushing the baby around in crowded places or whatever, and there definetly isn't any need for us to get a huge arse double stroller to contain him.
I've also looked at these types of things:
...where you attach a board to your stroller that older kids can ride on, but I have one question about the logistical layout of this idea. HOW DO YOU WALK WITH THIS THING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU? That space she's riding on there? THAT'S WHERE MY FEET GO. Right? I'm confused as to how this can be practical. My legs are long and I need me some serious striding room. I suppose I could waddle around town with this board at my feet, but I think I'll have had my fill of "waddling" by the end of this pregnancy thankyouverymuch. Heck, I'm already waddling around and I've got 20 more weeks to go.
Also, while we're on the subject of hauling multiple children around town, I have a question for all you more experienced parents out there. Last night I woke up out of a deep sleep and suddenly could not stop thinking about one thing:
How do you take a blobby infant AND a toddler grocery shopping?? HOW?! If you pile the children on/in the cart, there's no room for the food! What is the best way to manage this? Baby carriers? Toddler leashes? Grocery delivery services? Finding alternative means of living that don't involve food?
I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing again. Prolly because I DON'T. (And never really did.)
heh.
16 comments:
I put my youngest in a baby carrier. My oldest can then walk. Our grocery store also has a few carts that are HUGE, but have a part where two kids can sit (bigger than the regular cart space.) I've also used those car carts, but they actually drive me crazy. Not enough cart space, very hard to push, and my oldest doesn't stay in the car. Youngest is too small.
that bike stroller thing looks like it might be more difficult to push around seeing as there would be a toddler on a bike ish thing super super close to your leg... and the behind the stroller thing, i've seen some that are higher ... so maybe that would work better.. but he'll probably be fine just walking with you, he's pretty old now.... and i dont know cause i haven't done it, but i'd guess you put the baby in the carrier (like an ergo or something) and the kid in the cart... or you go on saturday when chris can come too or watch the gremlins so you can go on your own.
OMG I have all the same concerns. Mine will be 3 and I don't know how to stroll and walk and grocery shop either. (with 2 kids I mean. otherwise I'm pretty good at all those things)
I have heard very good things about the sit n' stand stroller which is what I'm thinking of getting. My friends who've used it really liked it alot. Of course then I won't get to use my most favoritest stroller that I loved the first time around. I think those board thingys would get in the way too. But the sit n' stand lets them have the option of sitting too to ride around.
As far as groceries...the big one has to learn to walk with the cart I guess or go in the evening/weekend without them. I've started having my hooligan push the cart with me sometimes which takes longer, but that's life.
Anyhoo, all the other mothers of the world seemed to have figured this out so we will too!
We shall prevail!!!!
Okay I'm done rambling now.
I've been a long time reader I just am not a very good commenter :-) But in regards to grocery shopping with two..I have a 20 month old and a two month old (I'm crazy, I know!), My 20 month old sits in the shopping cart and I use a baby snugli for my infant. So far it's worked out great cause My little baby really likes to be held so she is happy as came be in the snugli all close to mom :-) So, that might be the way to go for you!
it's so fun reading about your pregnancy journey!
i never had a baby from my own body, but with my baby [and toddlers...even a 3 year old] in jamaica, i used the moby wrap. i found it on the same websites that advertised the ergo carrier. [it's also ergonomically correct for you and baby] the moby wrap is amazing and convenient, suuuuper bonding for you and baby, and so comfortable it's like a second skin. and if i could bare wearing it in the heat of jamaica [sweaty but worth it], you can prob do it where you are. it's not too hard once you practice wrapping a few times, and there are various holds [upright, sling, etc]...it comes with a super easy to understand manual and cost $30. i carried a baby in it for 10 hours a couple times...only took him out to change his diaper.
oh...i spelled bear wrong and also wanted to note i carried two infants in it a couple times, too. foldling laundry was a little awkward!
As a mother of two I actually hardly ever go to the store with both of them. I usually do my shopping when Hubs is home (at night or on the weekend) so I can do it alone or take just one child. It makes for a hassle-free experience.
Otherwise there are fun kid carts at some grocery stores that the older child can ride in the front (firetruck, etc) while the infant carrier can go in the front part. That's what I do if I absolutely have to take them. Now that they're both older, both of them can ride up front in the "car" part.
I have the Peg side-by-side double stroller (I think it's called the Aria). It's not that big actually and super easy to steer. I took the seat bar off for my oldest who is 3 1/2 so he slide in and out easily. Bought it off of craigslist for a steal and it was practically brand new!
I have crazy wild energy man and he stays with me at the grocery store, I think youll be fine, or just go grocery shopping when he is at school! Thats what I do!
Baby in sling, 4-year-old walking. :-)
Well I have to say that the most difficult transition was from one to 2 kids, after that it was a snap.
I can barely remember what I did back then. But I think that I carried the baby in the snugli some and had him walk some.
Now it is such a breeze now. The older ones can help with getting the groceries. So it takes half the time. I almost always take them all with me.
I am planning on using the sling and such when we go places with this new baby.
BTW Crest has those 2 kid carts.
I did use a double stroller, but only when we went on vacation or somewhere that they really needed to stay close like the fair. But again all my other kids (until now) have been only 20 months apart.
I have been reading your blog for a while and I love it. As for my suggestions about toting two around, it gets easier after the first few times. My oldest who will be 4 at the end of september, he had just turned 2 when my youngest was born. The baby was always in the car seat and Eli would walk along side and hold the shopping cart or ride in the police or ambulance car at the front of the cart. Now as for going shopping say at the mall, he would hang on to the stroller or try to help me push it. Since your little guy is 3 he will love to help out. They say the biggest adjustment is going from one to two, I hope so because we are wanting to have our third and final one soon.
I just bought this after it was recommended to me by a thousand of my readers:http://www.babyhawk.com/
I also have a bjorn and a few slings. I plan to carry the new baby on my person for such excursions as grocery runs. We'll see how it goes. Archer pretty much walks everywhere, too, which is why I'm not even looking into the double stroller. Hell! I can barely maneuver a normal sized stroller without knocking mofos out.
Okay, not like I post a ton of comments or anything, but....check out the New Native baby carrier. I love mine. I think they have a website. I had a snugli and hated it. My son loved the new native one. It can be used lots of different ways and isn't all funky to tie up, etc...
first on the stroller. it sounds like you are trying to avoid buying a new one. my solution is craigs list the old one and buy one of these
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3096361
i've been eyeyballing these for weeks now. i actually wrote an entire post dedicated to strollers and deleted it because i figured you would all think i was nuts. anyway i see these all over reno and i friggin love them.
next up at the store i always put codi in the moby (you absolutly need a moby emery i think they were made for you) and then brandon in the car seat. some times i would also get the shopping cart with the car attatched to the front and let brandon ride in the car and codi right up front. some times if i have a light load i put codi sleeping in his carseat sideways on the front of the cart. they actually fit better sideways on the front end of the basket, then brandon in the seat.
and some days i woooo rob into taking both kids so i can go to the store all alone and lollygag gloriously in the donut isle!
sometimes grocery stores have kid carts that they can push around too. then he can help you grocery shop which could be fun for him and you can put the baby in the regular cart.
Coming out of lurkdom...
My son will be 4 in December, my first daughter turned 2 this past April, and my baby daughter was born this past April. So, a 3 1/2 year old, a 2 year old, and a 4 month old.
We have the Sit-n-Stand XL stroller, which has a removable rear seat. We belt in the baby carrier seat on the front, middle child sits on the back bench seat, and the oldest child likes to stand and ride. We're using a double stroller for 3 kids, and it's working out fine so far.
Grocery shopping...if all the kids are going with me, so is my husband. Then we use two carts, and I send him on shopping assignments. Otherwise I leave them all at home, or take just one or two kids with me.
Good luck and congrats to you and Chris on your growing family!
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