Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Double the Fun

Strollers are amazing. Currently, we own two (three if you count the umbrella stroller). The Graco Passage single stroller accepts the infant carseat, which snaps securely into it so that you don't have to wake up a sleeping baby. It can also be used as a regular (deluxe) single stroller that fully reclines, has a snack tray for baby, and convenient cup holders for Mom (or Dad...).
But then we outgrew that nice stroller. So now we are in for double the fun and double the money... We splurged on a sweet stroller made by the New Zealand company "Phil and Ted's" for our excellent adventure in Italy this next year. It is a single stroller that converts to a double stroller and is barely larger than a single stroller. Plus, it has HUGE wheels to go over rough cobblestone streets that certainly do not have ramps for the handicapped (a delight with strollers) and are probably sidewalk-less. Aside from the ridiculous instruction manual, which consisted entirely of miniscule pictures and instructions such as "remove the bungs then insert the ... until you hear a resounding click." Yes, a resounding click. I was all paranoid after putting it together because I just wasn't sure if I heard the click resound. Thankfully, the stroller is much easier to take apart than put together, and it folds much smaller/flatter than just about any other double stroller, ever. I've included some pictures so you can see it for yourself.

This is how we will use it when Cate is big enough to sit up. Dominic in front and Cate behind.

And this is how we use it now, while Cate is a newborn. She lies down (securely strapped in, of course) "beneath" Dominic. He thought it was great to see her feet right beneath him. :)



Now if they could just make this stroller motorized...you know, kind of like a moped. Maybe I could get a seat for myself too... Brilliant. I should go consult with Phil and Ted.

3 comments:

  1. That is the stroller that Philip and Melinda have and they LOVE it. They took it to Rome and said it was GREAT!

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  2. Phil and Ted should pay you a commission. I want to order one. And I don't even have kids.

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  3. Erica sent your post to me ... glad you like it. Believe it or not, even though it is compact by American standards Italians will still yell at you for taking up too much space. And for changing diapers on the ground (figure out the phrase, "if you had provided a bloody changing table anywhere I'd use that!" and practice daily). And they'll yell at you for anything else that falls outside of their 35-year-old-couple-with-one-bratty-child-schema.

    Now that you have it, here are some more hard-won P&T tips: always go up stairs backward, with only the baby in the back. Exit trams and buses backwards, and only go on handicap accessible buses. Go down stairs forward doing a wheelie on the two back wheels. Buy a lock and a raincover. Fold it up before hand for Eurostar trains, but not for regional slow trains. And buy tons of spare tires first thing at a bike shop and an Italian pump that matches them (American/Brit pumps don't inflate Italian tires.) It's really heavy to push with a flat, and in fact, you'll develop some mean muscles with the tires inflated.

    Melinda

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