Having more than one stroller...

[22tango]

We may have to rename this topic: "As the Stroller Wheels Turn..." I am also waiting with baited breath for the next installment!!!

[nywifey]

You are making me laugh so hard I have tears in my eyes!! :)

When's part two coming? Wish there were pictures of these strollers. I have never heard of these two your talking about. Your like a stroller explorer - discovering across continents! This is so funny!

Maybe you can do this daily and have your own thread on the front page? I like "As the stroller turns"! Im enjoying this!

[strollerqueen]

Adventures in Strollerland—Part 4

OK. You could also call this one—“As the Wheels (don’t) Turn."
Now that my digression is finished, let’s return to the Amico, and it’s inagural debut at the museum. You’ll recall my friend admonished me not to bring one of my “big, double strollers”, because there was no room in her car. So I thought the Amico would be perfect. She had an SUV (is there any car that’s EVER big enough!) but it was loaded with kids and ear. So she pulls up, gets out, and comes ‘round to help me lift it in the back. And it won’t fit. We struggle, and strain, and sweat, and swear (silently, of course), and it’s a no go. The doggone rear footboard is SOOO wide, no wonder it’s been discontinued. Finally, after a lot of rearranging and sticking things on top of kid’s laps, we cram it in somehow. And we’re off!

So far, so good. Until I actually try to use it. A few steps out of the car and into the parking lot, off pops the wheel. And it rolls and rolls, of course underneath a car. So I slither down on my belly, snake-like to retrieve it, of course getting all filthy in the process. The kids all think it’s very funny. This time. Until it happens again and again, every few feet, through every exhibit. The entire excursion was spent trying to re-attach the wheel by jamming paper in the hub, chewing gum, anything I could find. Oh, it did roll pretty nicely when it was on four wheels. And you gotta’ love that bell…Only, talk about a design flaw! The older child can’t ride on the back if the canopy is on, which means the baby gets a lot of sun. Also, they can’t stand on the back if the seat is reclined. So the baby yells because he can’t sleep, then you recline it and the bigger one yells because she has to walk, and I’m yelling because WHERE DID THAT DOGGONE WHEEL ROLL OFF TO THIS TIME!!!!

Back to the drawing board. Finally, my boards arrive from Germany! YAY!! They’re adorable! Darling ladybug and cute smiley faces! Gotta’ love that Swedish sense of style. So I hook up the ladybug kiddy board to the Inglesina Cross (still with me?) without too much problem. There’s just a clamp thing that snaps onto the axle.I figured it had to work, because my exact same stroller was pictured on the box. So off we stroll, to Miranda’s gym class. She’s enjoying the ride, but Michael is now nine months old and has little interest in seeing more of his mama and sister. He wants to see the world! He’s trying so hard to crane his little head around to see what’s coming that I’m afraid he’ll get a kink in his neck.We get to the class, and all the kids are fighting to see who gets to ride. The teacher says it’s a distraction and in the way and we have to wait outside. And it’s cold out there. The coldest day of the year. Icy winds are blowing, and I’m going round and round in circles with my beautiful Inglesina Cross and Lascal ladybird buggy board and one stiff-necked baby, trying to stay warm.

Now I have to travel up north, by myself with the kiddos. And this set-up is too cumbersome. I need something smaller, and lighter weight. Ah ha! My beloved Combi Savvy! Perfect! I’ll just attach the buggy board to that! But—it won’t fit. The stroller is too narrow. So I have to order some width adapters to make it fit. Finally get ahold of Infantino. Sure, they’ll send out the parts straight away! And no charge! So I wait, and wait, and wait. Did those awful terrorists get ahold of my width adapters, too? Eventually, they arrive. BUT THEY’RE THE WRONG PARTS! The right ones are in Sweden, and I have to pay $10 to get them! Ah, forget it. Don’t have enough time. If I can’t make the board fit the stroller, then I’ll make the stroller fit the board.

Next—The Maclaren, the train, and the chickens. Was this finally THE ONE? Has my quest for the perfect stroller finally ended? Stay tuned.
:P

[neuhofer]

Thanks for such a witty and entertaining saga. I now clearly see that you well deserve your user name!
Shannon

[strollerqueen]

Adventures in Strollerland—Part 5

When last we left off, I was ISO (don’t you just love these cute webby abbreviations that make you scratch your head—ISO—isotope? Ah, in search of!) a fairly small, compact, lightweight double for travel. This, for those of you who are still blessed with one bundle of joy, is like searching for water on Mars. But by now, I had chased down several women who all swore they’d found the perfect set-up, a buggy board attached to the back of a Maclaren. I had my doubts, but found a great deal on a slightly used Mac Vogue 2000—England made, not China.

The only problem was, it had no canopy. No problem, says Brian, the smiling proprietor of Traveling Tikes. We can order one directly from Maclaren. OK, I say. Then I wait, and wait, and wait. Must be those doggone terrorists again. First, they got my buggy board in Germany. Then, they got my width adaptors in Sweden. Now, they’re after my Mac canopy in England, or China, or wherever the heck they are now.

The night before I’m leaving, I panic. There is still no canopy, and I have NO travel stroller! Miranda, the 3-year-old, had busted out my bedroom window. She was playing this jump from the chair to the bed game, which is not allowed by me. But I wasn’t there, and apparently it was OK with the babysitter. Or she wasn’t paying attention, or something. I sit down at my computer and feel this strange blast of air, pull aside the curtain, and discover this chair-shaped hole in the middle of what used to be a functional window. So I frantically get out the phone book, and begin calling glass repair guys. One says he’ll be there first thing in the morning. Great! So now it’s the day before I’m leaving, and I’m waiting, and waiting. Tick, tick tick. It’s getting later. I call and they say he’s on his way. That’s OK, I have more to pack. A couple more hours pass. They say he’s on his way. Tick, tick, tick. What, have the terrorists kidnapped the glass guy? How can I go out of town and leave a big hole in the window? At 4:00 he calls and says he’s on his way. Breathe. At 5:00 he shows up, and begins working.

I called Brian at Traveling Tikes and explain the situation. I MUST have that stroller, I tell him, put some kind of other canopy on! OK, he says, hurry up and get here, we’re closing. How long are you going to take? I ask the guy. 10 minutes, he says. A half-hour later, I call back Brian at TT. The guy is still working, I tell him. Is there any possible way you could swing by…”What are ya’, nuts? It’s Valentine’s Day!” He tells me. Oh yeah…..”But I’ll wait”, he says. Finally, the job is done, I pay the guy, I battle the traffic, and pull up at TT the same time Brian’s wife does. She’s all prettied up for their romantic evening, and I’ve got two crying, cranky hungry tired kids, I’m out of breath, sloppy, and schleppy. But the important thing is—I’m there, the door’s still open, the stroller’s there—YAY!! I yank some kind of oversized Mac canopy w/ a purple plaid trim off of another model, grab my stroller, thank them both and wish them a lovey-dovey evening.

I race home, with the idea of getting all prettied up myself, and cooking a romantic dinner. Hoping I can do it all before DH comes home. But first, I thought I’d quickly attach the buggy board to the back of the Mac. When DH came home, I was still sitting in the middle of the floor trying to figure it out. Parts were strewn all over, and some seemed to be missing. I figured the baby must have eaten them, or the 3-year-old had run off with them. Please, please, please, I beg, all I want for Valentine’s Day is for you to attach this blasted board to the back of this stroller! C’mon, I say, you’re an engineer. It’s GOT to be easy for you!

In Part 6, did he attach the board on our Valentine’s night? Or did we get a divorce? And did the Mac make the trip? Stay tuned.





x( x(

[zane]

Dear Strollerqueen ( aka my new best friend)
My husband has been out of the country for 3 weeks, so I have been happily reading all the latest info these past 4 nights( just discovered the web sight- great!!) and love (can totally relate to ) your stories, but..... I need more!!!!
Put down those kids and get back to the computer. That babysitter sounds like a prize, get her to watch them, ha ha.
What happens next, and do you love/hate the buggy board? I saw one (also an english woman) but it was when i was only 3 months pregnant with #2 and didn't need it till NOW!!! My almost 4 yr girl wants to rest, but not always, and who wants to deal with a huge double stroller if it goes unused. I wish there was a buggy board seat . The sit and stand does the job, but is still big and clunky. Too bad you can't use a double Maclaren and keep the one side folded when not in use.
Any help please. Anyone. I test drove the Graco Duoglider and my older daughter begged for the cheapy Kolcraft double claiming it was so much better -What's up with that??. (Of course, no basket, no cup holder- no nuttin')
Strollerqueen, tell us more......please.
zane

[hollymamma]

Actually, there is a stroller attachment that allows your child to sit or stand...I just can't remember the name of the thing! The Right Start used to carry it, but I don't see it on their web site. I originally ordered that one to put on my Milano, but my stroller would not fold with it attached...hence, I sent it back and bought the Buggy Board...and, my child can sit on the foot rest of the stroller and put his feet on the Buggy Board it he wants to sit, so it all worked out for us.

If I remember the name of that thing I'll post it.
Holly

[strollerqueen]

It's called the Seat 2 Go. Most people don't like it for a number of reasons, and wind up returning it. I almost bought it, but then went with the majority opinion and put it back on the shelf!

[strollerqueen]

Thanks! I'll be your new best friend, too! I stopped the saga because it seemed everyone lost interest. But I will continue it if you like.:7 :D :o :) x( }> ;-)

[strollerqueen]

Oh, and, re: you dilemnas. DId you try the Duo GLIDER--the front/ back one, or the Duo RIDER, the SBS one? If it was the tandem, then maybe she prefers sitting next to the baby. I know mine does. SHe really likes to play with him. In any case, I'd definitely go with the one she likes best. If she picks it out, she'll be much happier to ride in it.:7