Strollin'

Did you know that entire web pages and chapters of books are dedicated to helping you find the right stroller? I sure as heck didn't until I got pregnant and suddenly all things baby became sooo much more interesting than anything else in the world. I have literally spent HOURS researching strollers. Guess what? No matter how much research you do, the best way to figure out the stroller riddle is to go to a baby superstore ( I must recommend Buy Buy Baby because they have about a million strollers to try out) WITH a mama who has had a baby within the last 2 years to help you. And your husband, too, if he's game. A website alone is not going to help. You have got to touch, lift, roll, and curse the stroller face to face before you come to a final decision.

Which is what I did on Saturday. My sister-in-law came with Chad and me and we hit up BBB. When I say they have pretty much every stroller known to man, I am not lying. They have everything from Graco Travel Systems to $1000 Stokke's and Bugaboo's. Did I mention that pre-baby I was convinced I was going to buy a Bugaboo? Oh how seriously deluded I was! Bless my heart!

So while we were looking and getting more and I was getting more and more frustrated and confused, the manager of BBB (who, as a matter of fact has no kids of her own - I asked) came over and started trying to sell me on a Britax B-Ready. It's a big stroller, turns well, has tons of storage, 14 different configurations, and weighs approximately 12,000 lbs. I knew that this stroller was going to drive me crazy and possibly contribute to back issues in the future, but the manager went on and on about how great it was.
 I could tell my SIL was not completely sold because she wasn't jumping up and down over it, but she did a great job of being supportive as I contemplated the $700+ it would cost for the stroller and car seat. Chad was also contemplating and turning a little white at the idea of such a huge expense. Luckily for all of us, the BBB manager went away and the manager of the stroller section mosied on over. To be honest, I didn't want to talk to him at first. He's was a man, obviously not a mom, and probably had no idea what he was talking about. Yeah, this guy saved my back and our pocketbook. Instead of trying to upsell me on some ginormous stroller that I didn't need, he showed me what his family used. The Baby Jogger City Mini stroller which I believe to be the most ingenious invention ever. One hand fold up. Less than 20 lbs. And it was about half the cost of the other stroller.
Not only did Stroller Manager Guy introduce me to the coolest stroller option ever, he mentioned that Britax was coming out with their own version, which was compatible with the Britax car seat that I wanted to buy. So no adapter needed with this new stroller. Even though they didn't have it in the store, he let me know it was coming out soon. He didn't have to because he could see on my face that I would buy the City Mini right then and there. But unlike crazy BBB manager and her love of heavy things, he was honest with me. And I knew I had found a winner because my SIL really did start jumping up and down. Even Chad was excited.

And I have just written an entire post on finding a stroller. Wow.