Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best finds here!!

[Gypsy]

Whew Okay. You aren''t ready to pop just yet. Close though. Keeping you and T-tot in my prayers.

 

[diamondfan]

I remember when I had my first, I was in Neimans and saw a to die for Burberry pram. It was the most gorgeous deep burgundy lacquer, with the lovely big handle and white walled tires, with novacheck lining, and all the bells and whistles. A pram, I think, is for leisurely strolls around your estate being pushed of course by a governess in a uniform. NOT what most suburban moms need, and certainly not a stroller, and not anything that would go in the car. No, this was the Rolls Royce of transport. I recall looking at the price tag and it was in the thousands. Now, 15 plus years ago I think you could have gotten a small car for that amount! But oh gosh it was just the prettiest thing I had laid eyes on in a while. Not practical but it was a site.

Keep in mind being able to collapse a stroller easily. I was in a sweat once in a busy parking lot near Xmas time (when of course everyone is so courteous and patient while waiting for you to vacate your parking space). It was raining, and I put my son in the car, and then proceeded to literally wrestle this freaking Italian beauty. At one point I was practically stomping on it, this "easy to fold" item that the Bellini sales girl assured me collapsed with a mere gentle push of a finger. I nearly was in tears and finally opening the trunk and literally bashed the thing into it, no SUV then to help ease this, I slammed the trunk down and got home. That stroller was history.

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 3/21/2008 1:20:16 AM
Author: diamondfan
I remember when I had my first, I was in Neimans and saw a to die for Burberry pram. It was the most gorgeous deep burgundy lacquer, with the lovely big handle and white walled tires, with novacheck lining, and all the bells and whistles. A pram, I think, is for leisurely strolls around your estate being pushed of course by a governess in a uniform. NOT what most suburban moms need, and certainly not a stroller, and not anything that would go in the car. No, this was the Rolls Royce of transport. I recall looking at the price tag and it was in the thousands. Now, 15 plus years ago I think you could have gotten a small car for that amount! But oh gosh it was just the prettiest thing I had laid eyes on in a while. Not practical but it was a site.


Keep in mind being able to collapse a stroller easily. I was in a sweat once in a busy parking lot near Xmas time (when of course everyone is so courteous and patient while waiting for you to vacate your parking space). It was raining, and I put my son in the car, and then proceeded to literally wrestle this freaking Italian beauty. At one point I was practically stomping on it, this ''easy to fold'' item that the Bellini sales girl assured me collapsed with a mere gentle push of a finger. I nearly was in tears and finally opening the trunk and literally bashed the thing into it, no SUV then to help ease this, I slammed the trunk down and got home. That stroller was history.

That''s kinda awful and funny at the same time, lol! I like the Burberry McLaren stroller - from a purely aesthetic point of view.

I''m up and I''ve been online trying to catch up on my shopping and right now, I''m on the mission to find a stroller. Everything that I like isn''t made for multiples so I''m pretty much thinking that I should order the Snap N Go. I can''t decide between the Britax Companion, Peg Perego Viaggio, or the Chicco Keyfit. I''m leaning towards the Peg Perego.

 

[ephemery1]

Yay TG!! Thanks so much for the I''coo report.

Did she actually call it the "Targa" in the store? That is the name of the European version... I wonder if that''s the one they had in stock? Although I don''t know if that version comes in houndstooth... I didn''t like the look of that one either, just from seeing the pix. Glad to hear it was light and easy to maneuver... definitely agree that all the moving parts could become a concern. We''ll have to see if reviews start coming in of things breaking. I am estimating I walk 1-3 miles a day currently living in the city, so even if I pare that back when the baby comes (and I''d rather NOT pare it back, since I consider it my main form of exercise!), I''m still going to need a LOT of mileage out of whatever stroller I choose. People rarely complain about the sturdiness/durability of the Bugaboo, despite how lightweight it is. All those lovely bells and whistles on the Targo though!

Ebree, I can''t remember, do you live in a city too? I don''t think I would have been able to sell DH on a $700 stroller if we didn''t... but it makes a good argument when you actually figure out how many miles you walk a day! And the main complaint of the Bugaboo is the 2-part folding, but it''s not nearly as much of a concern when you don''t drive, so don''t need to load it in a car trunk regularly. And along those same lines, the bassinet feature makes a lot of sense when you know you''re rarely going to be using a carseat. Also the resale value is pretty awesome around here... typically $500-ish for a used Frog. Just in case any of those points help your cause....

 

[mrs-h-]

HI Girls,


You might find this helpful when looking for a stroller - http://www.babyfy.com/index.php/default/product/frmCatID/23/ I wish i''d have known about it when i got my pram for my DD, but i wouldnt change it now as i love it so, we have a Mutsy Urban Rider with the seat unit and carry-cot, we also bought the Maxi-cosi car seat to go along with it, it was about £575 approx $1150 in total inc the car seat adaptors but well worth it, we even bought little wheels for the front of it like the Bugaboo ones, i thought i really wanted a Bugaboo but it seemed so flimsy compared to the Mutsy, especially the hood and i found it hard to put down on my own, i really dont like buggys so dont have one.

Ephemery - Have you seen the new Quinny Buzz with 4 wheels instead of the 3, looks fab and a bit like the M&P Skate, sorry the Peg Perego Skate., The Icoo Targa has been out over here for a while now i think as ive seen a few when out, have a look at the Maxi-Cosi Mura ( a bit like the Quinny Buzz) and the Concord Neo and the Concord Fusion, they all look fab.


Can you tell im a Pramaholic, i love them.

 

[ephemery1]

Date: 3/21/2008 10:28:59 AM
Author: mrs-h-
HI Girls,


You might find this helpful when looking for a stroller - http://www.babyfy.com/index.php/default/product/frmCatID/23/ I wish i''d have known about it when i got my pram for my DD, but i wouldnt change it now as i love it so, we have a Mutsy Urban Rider with the seat unit and carry-cot, we also bought the Maxi-cosi car seat to go along with it, it was about £575 approx $1150 in total inc the car seat adaptors but well worth it, we even bought little wheels for the front of it like the Bugaboo ones, i thought i really wanted a Bugaboo but it seemed so flimsy compared to the Mutsy, especially the hood and i found it hard to put down on my own, i really dont like buggys so dont have one.

Ephemery - Have you seen the new Quinny Buzz with 4 wheels instead of the 3, looks fab and a bit like the M&P Skate, sorry the Peg Perego Skate., The Icoo Targa has been out over here for a while now i think as ive seen a few when out, have a look at the Maxi-Cosi Mura ( a bit like the Quinny Buzz) and the Concord Neo and the Concord Fusion, they all look fab.


Can you tell im a Pramaholic, i love them.

Mrs. H, thanks so much for your suggestions! I''ve seen the Mutsy but for some reason DH doesn''t like them... thinks they look too big and bulky because of the wheels... it''s also a bit wider than I wanted. I do really like the look of the 4-wheel Buzz, but sadly it''s not available here in the US, so I wouldn''t be able to see one.

I also checked out the Maxi-Cosi Mura online, but same situation... no plans to carry it over here. Actually out of all the brands reviewed on that website, we only have a handful here in the US. You guys get all the good urban strollers over there, no fair!!

I''ve considered having one shipped overseas if we found the "perfect" stroller, but it seems like it would be a bit too complicated making sure it was compatible with our carseats, and being able to find accessories, and in the event that it needed repaired. Glad to have another "pramaholic" join the thread though!!

 

[TravelingGal]

That is a funny story diamondfan...made me totally chuckle.

Qtiekiki, the store is USA Baby. Also, the Right Start in Manhattan Beach has a good selection of high end strollers.

More tomorrow, as I am pooped. Ephemery, took my friend to see the I''coo today. She loved it, but still isn''t sure. I looked at it more carefully over the bugaboo, and I''ve decided it''s the stroller to beat on the market. The fold is super easy...didn''t test that out yesterday but checked it out today. Also tested the infant carseat adapter (worked fine with the safeseat) and just messed around with it a lot more. With my friend''s kid in it, it still steered great.

 

[pennquaker09]

I don''t think I''m going to make it pushing twins around New York.

 

[LitigatorChick]

I saw the Burberry stroller at Holt Renfrew yesterday - mighty cute.

All this talk of strollers has me realizing that I haven''t used mine since my son started walking!!! I know lots of other kids still ride in strollers until they are quite an age, but my little guy will have none of it!!!

My fav baby and toddler shoe - baby pumas. So cute, and they are really good for the kidlets - firm enough but soft and flexible. Little man is on his 4th pair!

 

[qtiekiki]

Ok... So we went stroller browsing today. We checked out the UppaBaby Vista, Quinny Buzz, Inglesina Zippy, Peg Perego Pliko P3, some Maclaren, and glanced at Stokke Xplory, Bugaboo Cameleon and Frog. The Stokke and Bugaboo are a bit pricey for me, so I didn''t look at them in details. I''ve also heard that people end up thinking the bugaboo is too bulky and getting a second stroller. We like the Quinny, Inglesina and Peg Perego. The frame of the UppaBaby is a little bulky for me, but it has a nice big basket. The Inglesina and Peg Perego are nice and are very similar in feature and the way they fold up. We like the features of the Quinny too (the reversible, fully reline seat, adjustable handle and sun shade, hand-free/air spring opening). I think we are getting the Quinny because DH says he doesn''t mind paying a couple more hundreds.

 

[ephemery1]

Hi Qtiekki! Thanks for the stroller hunting update... you have come to the right place; TG and I are stroller-obsessors.

I use the Quinny regularly when I babysit... it is definitely a great stroller. I can't remember if you are in a city? Personally, my only concern is that it is a BIT heavier than the others (which would only really be annoying if you had to load it into a car regularly) and a bit wide (occasionally we get stuck in aisles and the grocery store check-out, etc.)... although not as a bad as the UppaBaby Vista... that thing is a monster!!

The seat recline is a bit annoying as well... have to lean over and compress buttons on both sides... it always takes me a couple tries. But that cushy seat fabric is wonderful!

But be warned: if people are telling you the Bugaboo is too bulky, they will not approve of the Quinny!! For comparison purposes: the Bugaboo Frog is around 19 lbs and 23" W, and the Quinny Buzz is around 25 lbs and 25" W! Significant when you're doing a lot of walking/traveling/maneuvering. Plus they do end up being around the same price when you factor in the cost of the Quinny's bassinet (which we would get, not sure about you).

Personally, I'm still leaning about 80% toward the I'coo Targo, 20% toward the Bugaboo Frog. Isn't stroller-shopping fun??

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Fisher, do you know why I wish I hadn''t spent the money on a travel system? B/c I have only used my full size stroller ONCE. It is heavier and awkward and I MUCH prefer the size and lightness of the snap ''n go. My DH thinks once she gets bigger the full size will be perfect (when she can sit on her own) but then I will want an umbrella/light weight....if I could go back I would get the chicco car seat alone and worry about my next stroller later. The S''NG is very narrow and I had troubles today in the mall. But I am also not a person who wants to spend big bucks on a stroller....now my highchair...that''s another matter

 

[LitigatorChick]

Highchairs - I had a big one, and hated it. We bought a little Safety first travel one that straps onto a regular chair, and we used it quite a bit. For lunch/supper, he sits on my lap. For other meals/snacks, we put a blanket on the living room floor and he sits and eats from a little Diego tray.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Oh, I thought of another MUST have. We love our mesh baby bumper. Tessa has this new thing where she likes to sleep AGAINST the side of the crib on her tummy and I feel MUCH better know there is a little padding from her head to the wood. Plus it is safer.

 

[qtiekiki]

Date: 4/1/2008 10:04:42 AM
Author: ephemery1
Hi Qtiekki! Thanks for the stroller hunting update... you have come to the right place; TG and I are stroller-obsessors.

I use the Quinny regularly when I babysit... it is definitely a great stroller. I can''t remember if you are in a city? Personally, my only concern is that it is a BIT heavier than the others (which would only really be annoying if you had to load it into a car regularly) and a bit wide (occasionally we get stuck in aisles and the grocery store check-out, etc.)... although not as a bad as the UppaBaby Vista... that thing is a monster!!

The seat recline is a bit annoying as well... have to lean over and compress buttons on both sides... it always takes me a couple tries. But that cushy seat fabric is wonderful!


But be warned: if people are telling you the Bugaboo is too bulky, they will not approve of the Quinny!! For comparison purposes: the Bugaboo Frog is around 19 lbs and 23'' W, and the Quinny Buzz is around 25 lbs and 25'' W! Significant when you''re doing a lot of walking/traveling/maneuvering. Plus they do end up being around the same price when you factor in the cost of the Quinny''s bassinet (which we would get, not sure about you).


Personally, I''m still leaning about 80% toward the I''coo Targo, 20% toward the Bugaboo Frog. Isn''t stroller-shopping fun??

I am in L.A., so I will have to load the stroller in and out of the car. I lifted the stroller up yesterday. It wasn''t terribly heavy for me at 22 wks, so I think it''ll be ok when I am not pg (DH got mad at me for lifting it). I guess Quinny costs around the same price as Bugaboo Frog since I do want the bassinet. I was more comparing to the price of Cameleon. I think the functionality of the high price strollers are comparable. The one thing about Bugaboo that I don''t like is having to remove the seat to fold the stroller. We like the look of Quinny a lot because it''''s not like a regular strollers, kinda retro yet futuristic. It''s the only one that DH is excited about. Right now I am maybe 75% toward Quinny. hehe. But I am going to look some more before we finally decide.

 

[qtiekiki]

Here''s some other stuffs that I really like, but I have to convince DH that it''s worth the price.

The Bloom Fresco High Chair - I love it. It''s so modern.

The Bloom Coco Stylewood Lounger - I love it in plexi, but will settle for the dark wood.

 

[jas]

Hi all -- i wanted to let you know that there is a 1/2 off sale (or BOGO if you buy 2) of baby slings at the Dr. Sears site....http://www.askdrsears.com/store/products.asp?cat=34&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=v1&utm_campaign=halfoff-freesling

I can never get the linkie thing to work.

 

[LitigatorChick]

Date: 4/1/2008 11:55:17 PM
Author: qtiekiki
Here''s some other stuffs that I really like, but I have to convince DH that it''s worth the price.

The Bloom Fresco High Chair - I love it. It''s so modern.

The Bloom Coco Stylewood Lounger - I love it in plexi, but will settle for the dark wood.

Qtiekiki, I am usually a fan of ridicolous overpriced things (this month alone I have 2 new pairs of designer shoes!!!), but I think you would be disappointed with both. For the lounger, Miller only used his for about 3 months - once they can sit up at about 6 months, these things are useless. As for the high chair, I have commented on this above.

 

[qtiekiki]

Date: 4/2/2008 8:47:42 AM
Author: LitigatorChick

Date: 4/1/2008 11:55:17 PM

Author: qtiekiki

Here''s some other stuffs that I really like, but I have to convince DH that it''s worth the price.


The Bloom Fresco High Chair - I love it. It''s so modern.


The Bloom Coco Stylewood Lounger - I love it in plexi, but will settle for the dark wood.

Qtiekiki, I am usually a fan of ridicolous overpriced things (this month alone I have 2 new pairs of designer shoes!!!), but I think you would be disappointed with both. For the lounger, Miller only used his for about 3 months - once they can sit up at about 6 months, these things are useless. As for the high chair, I have commented on this above.

LC - I didn''t think they were very practical, but they look so neat. hehe. I do want a highchair though because I want to make sure DD sit in one when she is eating. MIL will be babysitting and she has a habit of chasing after the kids to feed them (my two SILs never got highchair for their kids). Because of that, our two nephews never sit still in a chair or on someone''s lap or on the floor during meals. I want DD to build a good habit of sitting still for meals.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Q, cute. The one I want is similar. The one I want is here. half the price as yours. Maybe it would work for you too.

 

[ephemery1]

Date: 4/1/2008 2:41:02 PM
Author: LitigatorChick
Highchairs - I had a big one, and hated it. We bought a little Safety first travel one that straps onto a regular chair, and we used it quite a bit. For lunch/supper, he sits on my lap. For other meals/snacks, we put a blanket on the living room floor and he sits and eats from a little Diego tray.

LC, this is good to know... since we'll have limited space, I think we might skip the highchair. DH and I don't even sit at a table to eat currently, so I don't know why we'd expect the baby to. At the very least, we may buy the Stokke one that turns into a regular chair eventually, because that way it won't be wasted if we don't end up using it often.

ETA -- The Stokke Tripp Trapp ... at first I thought it looked boring and odd, but it seems to get good reviews and I do like that it continues to be useful for years and years. Plus easy to clean! Q, that might be one for you to consider if you haven't already...

 

[LitigatorChick]

Check out these Safety 1st booster seats. You can use them on a regular chair and they are great for travel too. http://www.safety1st.com/product/search.asp?type=category&value=37

 

[curlygirl]

This is what we have and for my city dwelling friends who are short on space, it's awesome because you can just attach it to your own chair!

http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2002&e=product&pid=35236

ephemery, I like the idea of the Stokke but it scares the crap out of me for a little baby. Maybe when they are toddlers but for some reason it freaks me out for infants!

When we first started solid feeding, we just used the Bumbo with the tray. Works great!!

 

[AmberWaves]

What do you guys think of Silver Cross strollers? I love the styles and the colors. I haven''t heard these mentioned, though. Any thoughts?

 

[ephemery1]

Thanks for the space-saving chair suggestions, LC and Curly! I actually had that Fisher-Price one on my Babies ''R Us wish-list....

And just for fun, here is the crib that I am slowly falling in love with... the Baby''s Dream Ocean collection. Anyone know anything about it? It is very much my style... simple, clean lines without being TOO modern. I <3 it through the pix online, but haven''t seen it in person yet:

 

[ephemery1]

In the dark wood color, and how the crib looks when the drop-gate is closed:

 

[Tacori E-ring]

eph, a problem I would have with that crib is it would be VERY hard (if not impossible) to attach a mesh bumper. That is a MUST for me b/c Tessa literally sleeps against the crib "wall" so I am sure it would hurt her head without a little cushion. Also she has wedged a leg in between the slats before we got the bumper. Also I love the "ultimate crib sheet" and it snaps on the rails....no rails on 2 of the 4 sides. Also attaching a mobile would be tricky since the only place you could put it is the back and most likely that would be against the wall....just my opinion though.

 

[ephemery1]

Date: 4/3/2008 9:28:22 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
eph, a problem I would have with that crib is it would be VERY hard (if not impossible) to attach a mesh bumper. That is a MUST for me b/c Tessa literally sleeps against the crib 'wall' so I am sure it would hurt her head without a little cushion. Also she has wedged a leg in between the slats before we got the bumper. Also I love the 'ultimate crib sheet' and it snaps on the rails....no rails on 2 of the 4 sides. Also attaching a mobile would be tricky since the only place you could put it is the back and most likely that would be against the wall....just my opinion though.

Tacori, great points to consider, thank you so much. It does seem like a mesh bumper would be tough with that crib... although I've heard so many mixed reviews on bumpers (mesh or otherwise) that I wonder if this would be a definite problem? I guess it's hard to know for sure. It seems like I could probably weave it through the bars on the ends (there is a little space between the 4 corner posts and where the full panel begins on the ends, easier to see on the white crib) if I really needed to... but probably something to check out in the store first. As for the ultimate crib sheet, does it actually have to attach onto the ends of the crib as well as onto the longer side panels? I was studying the picture online and it looked like there were only 6 snaps... 3 that attached on the front, 3 on the back, none on the ends. But hard to tell from an online pic!!

ETA -- Looks like they have a regular soft bumper on the cribs in the pictures... how does a mesh one attach compared to those? I really have no idea.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I am telling you I am 99% sure the mesh bumper will not work (by the way they are SIDS approved b/c they allow airflow). There is velcro and it needs to stick to itself (it does not use ties). They did not tie the bumper on the ends. It is for a pretty picture not for safety. As for the UCS, yes it attaches to all four sides. It must b/c bedding needs to be very tight and secure to be safe. Those babies are wiggle worms (well mine anyways). I am just speaking from experience but feel free to ignore me

ETA: if you look in the nursery thread you can see my crib. I took out the fabric bumper when she began sleeping in the crib (at 4 months). I think it is modern and I am totally in love with it.

 

[qtiekiki]

Date: 4/3/2008 3:00:21 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Q, cute. The one I want is similar. The one I want is here. half the price as yours. Maybe it would work for you too.

I like this one too, but I want the white one with orange padding.

ephemery1 - how wide is the crib? looks kind of narrow. I like the dark wood, so pretty.