I've got stroller on the brain

You may be thinking, it's just a stroller, right?  WRONG.  And I've come to find out that when it comes to your first baby there is no "it's just this or that" about anything.  I've been researching strollers on the consumer reports website, in books written by parents, on message boards, and amongst other new mothers that I know and everyone seems to have a different opinion.  One mom loves the travel system that comes with the stroller and matching infant baby seat while another calls it the SUV of strollers and that it's too bulky and no good.  She likes the easy one-handle fold stroller with the infant seat adapter that's lightweight and portable.  The good news is that it seems that once a mommy has actually picked her stroller, she absolutely loves it.

That said, I knew that no amount of research on the internet, or in books, or with other moms was going to help me pick a stroller out, partly because I didn't quite understand the lingo, and that I had to just see them for myself.  So, Saturday morning my husband and I got up bright and early to take a 1 1/2 hour trip to Babys R Us to "test drive" stroller for ourselves, and I have never been more scared.

First of all, when we walked in, we looked like a couple of idiots because we just stood there at the entryway for a minute in absolute wonder and fear.  Where on earth were we supposed to even start?!  This was not just about "test driving" strollers, this was about investigating everything baby and learning the lingo.  As I gazed over the crowded baby super store I envied those parents with a younger child in tow because I knew that they at least had a clue as to what they were doing.  However, I knew in order to get through this day, I had to let go of my fear, and envy, and just forge ahead, possibly breaking a stroller or two in the process.

Our game plan was to first walk the store trying to familiarize ourselves with the layout and products.  After completely failing at the familiarizing part, we decided to go check out something we already knew about and had successfully accomplished, picking out a crib!  We hadn't seen it in person but the reviews were great and it was a very good price.  After seeing it all set up, and Greg shaking it to make sure it really was as sturdy as it claimed, we felt confident that if we could make one good choice, we could do it again.  Off to the strollers we went

Did I mention that neither Greg or I had ever pushed a stroller let alone seen one up close until we visited my sister last fall in Texas?  Needless to say, we were SO out of our league.  I thought, "well, there's no time better than now to get familiar with all the buttons and features of strollers!"  I hoisted the first stroller, the one my sister owns, off the display rack and starting pushing it around the aisle, then pulled the one-hand release handle and wah-la!  It folded right up!  Maybe this will be easier than I thought!  Next Greg gave one a whirl pushing it around, trying to release the car seat, and then folding it up.  Not so easy this time.  Well we must've looked completely clueless because during our test driving expedition, at least 8 employees asked us if we needed help.  Finally one guy, who seemed pretty knowledgeable, ignored us when we said we didn't help and that we were just looking, and proceeded to give us a 20 minute tutorial on strollers and their features.  I liked this guy.  I then hauled him with us to each different section of the store, all of which he said he had previously worked, to give us tutorials on them as well.

At the end of the day we left with a confused head full of knowledge and trunk with a highchair...don't ask.  On our way out of the city we hit up "Moe's Southwest Grill," which if you've never been you have to try, and discussed our options.  There are just so many considerations.  Like, does it hold an infant car seat?  Which models is it compatible with?  How does the adapter work to secure the seat?  Are the wheels going to withstand our road conditions?  What are we going to be using it for?  How much will we use it?  And the list goes on and on.  I just can't get strollers off my mind!  I went to bed last night thinking of them and woke up this morning with them on my brain again, hence this blog post :-)

We've narrowed it down to a couple favorites but have to do a bit more investigating on the infant car seat options, but hopefully we will make a decision soon; I'm not sure how much more calculating and deliberating my brain can take.  One thing I've learned from this trip is that when it comes to you and your baby, everything is really just about your personal preference and to not overwhelm your head with too much information.  Nothing is ever going to be perfect.  Just narrow down your options and go with the most practical one and the one you are most comfortable with.  (We'll put this theory to the test when Greg and I go back to pick out the rest of our baby gear in a few months, I'll keep ya posted...)

InStep Grand Safari Swivel Wheel Jogging Stroller.  Now we all know that I don't jog but we like the tires for our country living.  Cons: It's really heavy and we're still skeptical of the infant car seat adaptor.  This is my fav so far though.

Baby Jogger City Mini.  This is the one my sis has that folds up easily, is lightweight, and has the right car seat adaptor.  Cons:  The tires are foam and probably wouldn't withstand the walk down our gravel drive not to mention there are no parent cup holders, which according to Greg is imperative.  His big concern?  How is he going to drink a beer and push a stroller without a beer holder?!  Although you can add that on as an accessory,  It's just not the same...