I was thinking about posting a shameless plug for my sister, Jenny Meyerhoff, whose first children's book, Third Grade Baby, comes out in just one short month.... But, I happened to check out her highlarious blog today, and so I just had to provide a link to a very cute story about my three year old nephew's commentary about a birthday gift.
http://www.thepurpledesk.blogspot.com/
My nephew Noah is one funny kid. He recently offered to be the Babish's jumping coach, since everyone else seemed to some sort of coach and he wanted in on the action.
The Babish still has a limited vocabulary - so I'm still waiting for some funny-isms. I've only had one. While I was trying to prompt the little guy to say "whee" or "slide" while looking at a picture of a boy going down a slide, the Z-man was not having any of it. But he kept saying Tuzzy, Tuzzy every time I said "slide." Thinking my kid was really confused, I just politely kept saying, yes that is a slide. Finally he looked at me point blank and almost yelled the word, "Tuzzy." Duh - it clicked for dumb Momish- he was trying to tell me that the boy was going down on his Tushy...[and it served as a wake-up call that he does understand a lot more that I think, including when I caution him to go on his tushy every time he's about to go down his slide head first...]
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Save the Stroller Drama for Your Mama!
I've often hesitated to post about strollers for fear that I would offend someone. You see, I've often thought of strollers like cars - they depreciate so quickly, so it's not worth the big splurge. All you need to do is ask any of my friends and they can cite my diatribe against the Bugaboo verbatim. [A) Way overpriced - save $300-$500 bucks and put the money in a 529 savings account; B) if your kid has a trust fund and you want to drop a grand on a stroller, at least get something more unique (heck, I'll even tell you which strollers to import from Europe if you let me); and C) no matter what you say - you will end up getting at least two strollers anyway (so don't tell me it will be your only stroller). Now, to cut some slack, just a few years ago, there weren't many other options (so I won't look down on the Bug drivers whose kids will turn at least 2 in 2008 :). However, it seems like there is a new model out every month and many offer great features. My biggest advice is to shop around and test drive. Lift those strollers up, check out how tall/long the seat is and how wide the base is. And if you really want my admiration - buy your stroller on sale! If you want a jazzy stroller (with bassinet, etc.) - look for floor model sales from local boutiques (even some websites offer floor model sales). If you are more of a basics, with no shock absorption kind of mama, then remember, like cars, traditional stroller manufacturers offer new models every year - so don't turn your nose up at last year's model. Many go on sale from late fall through early winter.
OK, OK - but there is finally a new stroller that has really piqued my interest, so I must give a shout out. Before we go any further, in the interest of disclosure I will divulge my wheels. We currently drive an Infinity Rock Star Baby Stroller. Yes, the Tico Torres and Jon Bon Jovi "inspired" stroller. I also keep the Maclaren Volo in my car (purchased for us as a gift - but at $89 instead of $109 because I registered for the older model). I found the RSB stroller at a Warehouse Sale of a high-end children's boutique in the area. At the time it retailed for $499 - however, we got it for $325 in cash - it was a floor model, but it was still in the box wrapped in plastic. I wanted a stroller that had a bassinet, car seat adapter and rode front and rear facing. I got all of that in the base price, plus some nice extras, like a rain cover, adjustible handle and large and plush bassinet that my 95% son was able to use for almost 4 months! (I'd imagine an avergae baby might fit in the bassinet for 6 months). My one complaint is that on a recent trip, American Airlines managed to rip the foam handle cover and my seat canopy corners. [Note to readers: buy the stroller carrying case- universal ones are far cheaper than the ones that match your stroller and they can spare you from my mistakes.]
But fret not, the parent company - Hauck - has already shipped me a new foam wrapper and seat cover (because that also ripped) at no charge. My stroller is already past the one year warranty and they are still sending me all of this. Which leads me to the new stroller that I am so coveting, from the same parent company, so not only does it look great, but trust me, you know you'll have great customer service too.
Introducing, the I'coo Targo stroller. Weighing in at only 22 pounds, there are many similarities between this stroller and my beloved Rock Star. Basically, it looks like they took the Infinity base (which sold in Europe and was marketed here as the Rock Star and occasionally found without a bassinet as Infinity at BRU) and added a few new features. The coolest one is the ability to raise the seat along the frame - in a Stokke Explory kind of way (good for baby's view and Stokke's claim was also air quality). Another feature is the ability to fold the stroller with the seat on. I can fold my RSB with the seat when it is rear facing, but apparently this stroller folds both ways...
It was originally priced at $699, but now I've seen it for $599 (remember this price includes the car seat adaptor and rain/UV cover which those two things alone could cost you a hundo for some other brands)...And maybe you'll get lucky and find a floor model somewhere...
OK, OK - but there is finally a new stroller that has really piqued my interest, so I must give a shout out. Before we go any further, in the interest of disclosure I will divulge my wheels. We currently drive an Infinity Rock Star Baby Stroller. Yes, the Tico Torres and Jon Bon Jovi "inspired" stroller. I also keep the Maclaren Volo in my car (purchased for us as a gift - but at $89 instead of $109 because I registered for the older model). I found the RSB stroller at a Warehouse Sale of a high-end children's boutique in the area. At the time it retailed for $499 - however, we got it for $325 in cash - it was a floor model, but it was still in the box wrapped in plastic. I wanted a stroller that had a bassinet, car seat adapter and rode front and rear facing. I got all of that in the base price, plus some nice extras, like a rain cover, adjustible handle and large and plush bassinet that my 95% son was able to use for almost 4 months! (I'd imagine an avergae baby might fit in the bassinet for 6 months). My one complaint is that on a recent trip, American Airlines managed to rip the foam handle cover and my seat canopy corners. [Note to readers: buy the stroller carrying case- universal ones are far cheaper than the ones that match your stroller and they can spare you from my mistakes.]
But fret not, the parent company - Hauck - has already shipped me a new foam wrapper and seat cover (because that also ripped) at no charge. My stroller is already past the one year warranty and they are still sending me all of this. Which leads me to the new stroller that I am so coveting, from the same parent company, so not only does it look great, but trust me, you know you'll have great customer service too.
Introducing, the I'coo Targo stroller. Weighing in at only 22 pounds, there are many similarities between this stroller and my beloved Rock Star. Basically, it looks like they took the Infinity base (which sold in Europe and was marketed here as the Rock Star and occasionally found without a bassinet as Infinity at BRU) and added a few new features. The coolest one is the ability to raise the seat along the frame - in a Stokke Explory kind of way (good for baby's view and Stokke's claim was also air quality). Another feature is the ability to fold the stroller with the seat on. I can fold my RSB with the seat when it is rear facing, but apparently this stroller folds both ways...
It was originally priced at $699, but now I've seen it for $599 (remember this price includes the car seat adaptor and rain/UV cover which those two things alone could cost you a hundo for some other brands)...And maybe you'll get lucky and find a floor model somewhere...
Apologies, Apologies
As you can tell, it's been a little while. Well, in the past six months, we moved to the burbs and I quit my job. So I've had a few other things on my mind (like getting my first semi-darker shade of pale skin tan in about 10 years! I will try to post more often, but please forgive me if I instead choose to spend my son's naptime vegging on the couch with Oprah.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
