Forgot to mention we had the Chicco carrier/travel system combo, as well.

2/7/2012 11:58:30 AM

thoughts on this one? i like the red one http://www.amazon.com/UPPAbaby-Vista-Stroller-Cole-Slate/dp/B004IYNIQC/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1328639443&sr=1-1

i just looked up the chicco ones. i'm not really sure why i'm so hung up on hating that style stroller, but i do. it might be something i have to get over, but hopefully not.

[Edited on February 7, 2012 at 1:33 PM. Reason : ]

2/7/2012 1:31:07 PM

first thought is holy $texas

second thought is man that's a lot of $texas

i haven't been able to get past anything else

2/7/2012 2:17:36 PM

those ones that timswar listed are $800-1000 and it's cheaper than a bob

i would not be interested at full price though, only at this sale price of $450-500ish. i'm pretty sure my office is going to buy whatever stroller i pick out (that's what they typically do here) as long as it's not insanely expensive.

[Edited on February 7, 2012 at 2:51 PM. Reason : ]

2/7/2012 2:47:27 PM

we have the uppa baby vista in red actually. great stroller--i call it our cadillac. smooth ride that handles rougher terrain well (i've done dirt paths, gravel, and even some soft ground muddiness), but i would go for a Bob if we were big runners and would be taking the stroller "off road" more often. it won't handle soft sand on the beach well, but more compact you're good to go.

the attachment for the carseat is great to use on trips out when you would want a stroller versus a baby carrier. we were big on using the bjorn for grocery trips or one store trips, so i'm thinking of a longer time out like a mall for example. i used it a lot up until 5-6 months once the little guy was able to sit up well unassisted, but now i use the toddler seat exclusively when using the stroller.

the bassinet feature was used a lot in the first few weeks as well. we moved when he was just 4 weeks old, and until that point lived in a 2 story townhouse. i had the bassinet set up downstairs on a indoor bassinet stand (sold separately like $40 iirc) for naps (which he only napped in a few times; he mainly napped in his swing or bouncy seat), but more of a changing table station. He was born in July so we never strolled with the bassinet; too damn hot so we really didn't stroll at all.

this thing is REALLY easy to pop open and collapse back down once you know how to do it. i can get it in our car one handed. it's a compact stroller too if you were to remove the wheels (i would do this b4 we went on a vacation and needed more trunk space). with the wheels on it's not terribly large once collapsed, but you're not gonna get much smaller than that from when i was researching it.

The cargo space underneath is also really large which helps. During Christmas shopping I had like 5 store bags and his diaper bag stashed under there. It was ridiculous.

we also liked the rumble seat that's an option for later for Buddy whenever #2 comes along.

I REALLY love this stroller. Although...being in my position now, I think if I was to do it all over again with the knowledge I have and using it I'd get a Snap and Go for the beginning months to attach his carseat to and a Bob.

2/7/2012 3:04:51 PM

awesome! i didn't thinking about using the bassinet to change the baby but that's a great idea. thanks for the write up!

2/7/2012 3:19:08 PM

I have 3 different strollers!

I have one of those universal frames that the car seat snaps on to. I liked using that when C was a newborn because I didn't have to disturb her if she fell asleep in the car seat. We outgrew this stroller pretty quickly, but they are not expensive

Then I moved to a Chicco Liteway, which is sort of a glorified umbrella stroller, but the recline is adjustable and it can even recline flat so it is sort of like a bassinet. I like this stroller, it is good for shopping, tight spaces, etc because it is compact, easy to fold, and has a small turning radius. However, I learned not to store it outside (we just left it in the carport) because it mildewed. Yuck.

Later we got a Babytrend jogger-type stroller (has 3 big wheels) the front tire can lock so you could jog with it. I don't run, but I do a lot of neighborhood walking with it. I love it and use it everyday. However, it is bulky (takes up the entire back cargo space in my car), and can be a pain to fold. But I do take it shopping and stuff. It has a snack tray/cup holder for her (which I can appreciate now) and has cup holders, cell phone/key holders for me!

2/7/2012 9:39:06 PM

i'm looking into the bumbleride indie now. it might be the right combo of normal stroller + bob/jogger for us. i'd like to find one to check out in person though.

2/7/2012 9:42:32 PM

^Have you been to Buy Buy Baby? There is one in Durham, in New Hope Commons. They have all those more expensive brands of strollers (and car seats), including Bumbleride, if you want to check them out in person.

2/7/2012 9:46:16 PM

cool thanks for the suggestion! i haven't been anywhere yet, just looking around online. i'm in rocky mount so there's shit to choose from here. might have to swing by that place in durham.

2/7/2012 9:48:09 PM

My son was a big baby and at 3.5 months was over the 16 pounds for the infant seat on shopping carts but of course couldn't sit up to use the toddler seat. I used my stroller daily for normal errands and walks in the park. (I had some kind of stroller seat thing. I do not remember since I sold it when my son grew out of it by 4 months in length )

I got a Jeep jogging stroller and I LOVE it. I am now pregnant with my second and am hoping to find a gently used double jeep jogging stroller. I took mine on the plane and it has been to 5 countries. It handles GREAT on non paved and uneven surfaces. I cannot imagine getting anything else.

In terms of the car seat, I am probably going to use this one for the next one and get the bigger convertible. My son needs to slow down on the Wheaties!!

Also, I need a good allergist for my son. (Not Dr. Nash in Brier Creek...not a fan!) It appears that my son's allergy to eggs is getting worse. (before it was just eggs and now it is baked products) I really would like him under a doctors care.

(NOTE:If anyone is pregnant with a fall boy I would be willing to trade his wardrobe for a summer girl wardrobe. My son skipped 0-3 months completely and was in 24 months/2T before he was 1 so there is tons of gently used stuff.)

2/7/2012 9:56:55 PM

i have a coworker with the jeep limited jogging stroller & she has nothing but bad things to say about it. maybe she's just unlucky. the tires don't hold air, it doesn't handle well on easy trails, something broke off of it pretty early on (i don't remember what). it's overkill for my tastes (lots of extra plastic, a steering wheel, etc).

2/7/2012 10:01:53 PM

^oh wow....I have abused the stuffing out of mine. Has she called the company? I think mine is an '08 and nothing had been replaced.
We have taken ours on the beach, paved trails, neighborhood walks, and daily errand type activities. When we were in Mexico, Belize, & Hondurus, it didn't spend one minute on paved areas and it handled great. The only thing we had an issue with is my dad was too tall to comfortably push the stroller, but we had brought along a Kelty for when my parent took him around. I bought it second hand from a friend who couldn't stop raving about it. (we took off the child bar because it was a tad bit bulky with that)
It sound like she got a "lemon" stroller.


[Edited on February 7, 2012 at 10:42 PM. Reason : ]

2/7/2012 10:40:35 PM

hmm sounds possible. i might say something to her about it tomorrow.

2/7/2012 10:46:55 PM

If you're gonna make the trek this way, stop by Smart Momma on Glenwood avenue. Local specialty baby shop with lots of great stuff...strollers including the city mini & uppa. I cannot recall if they have the bumbleride or not. But it's a great little shop and their staff is really friendly and knowledgable about their products if you have questions.

There's also a buy buy baby that just opened in Cary close to morrisville off chapel hill rd.

2/8/2012 3:57:15 AM

^oh yeah! I forgot about the new Buy Buy Baby in Cary!

2/9/2012 3:42:12 PM

I got a Maclaren Triumph for Madison when she was 2 and we still use it (she's 4 now).
Great lightweight, easy to fold and stylish. great for traveling.

http://global.maclarenbaby.com/toddler-buggies/triumph?lang=en

2/9/2012 7:30:41 PM

what's an ideal number of cloth diapers, covers, & whatever else that goes with cloth diapering to start off with? i've looked around online but the numbers vary a lot.

2/10/2012 2:17:52 PM

Two days worth. Newborns average ten a day.

2/10/2012 4:11:34 PM

You may want 2.5 days worth. Two days and then the half day for when you're actually doing the wash.

It's important not to feel like you're chained to the washer/dryer.

So yeah, 25 or so sounds good. Remember that there's a resale market, so your upfront cost will be high but you'll get some of that back in the long run. It can help to ask for them as baby shower gifts. Also, get a box fan for drying the shells. They shouldn't be put in the dryer (occasionally is ok, and may even help the velcro, but regular drying can kill the shells).

[Edited on February 10, 2012 at 6:29 PM. Reason : .]

2/10/2012 6:29:21 PM

I put my shells in the drier on low/fluff because they seem to dry faster that way. Though, I may just be deluding myself.

2/10/2012 7:21:02 PM

The mabu baby ones from Walmart say to dry them in the dryer on low. When you say 20-25, do you mean the insert things or covers or both or ?

2/10/2012 8:53:09 PM

Depends on what kind of diapers you have. If the diaper is made so that the cover and liner are both soiled when your child goes, then you need pretty much that many of all of them. Many of your cloth diapers are made so everything is soiled. If you have a diaper like the Little G's that have a water proof liner that your insert goes in (where the liner can be swapped out), then you'll need far less diaper covers. I know that I could use a single diaper cover most of the day with the Little G's.

[Edited on February 10, 2012 at 11:10 PM. Reason : ,]

2/10/2012 11:09:46 PM

ok, ok back to my car seat dilemma.....

I looked into what I have...it is rated for 40 pounds. My son is 17 months today and is 32 pounds and almost 34 inches tall. He has outgrown the seat in height. Since this starts at 5 pounds, I was going to give it to my daughter who is due in June and get my son a bigger one (instead of buying the infant seat). I own an Evenflo "something here" 65. I am currently sticking him in it with a light t-shirt and putting is coat on when I unbuckle.

I have looked around and cannot find ANY car seat that will accommodate him rear facing. Do any of you guys know the specs on what you own or know of something that might work for his size? I might try calling the pediatrician to see if they have ideas. I am not sure if the manufacturer will help me but I guess that is my next step.

[Edited on February 12, 2012 at 9:31 PM. Reason : oooo...I found a couple that might work. It seems I need his bum to shoulder measurement.]

2/12/2012 9:18:34 PM

Why does it need to be rear facing? Granted, I don't have children yet, but my niece went front facing at 1 year, according to her pediatrician, and the instructions on her car seat.

2/13/2012 7:38:54 AM

Within the past 2 years or so, AAP has began recommending children remain rear facing until 2 yrs old.

I've had friends that turned their child toward before that age of course bc theirs were too tall for continued rear facing.

2/13/2012 8:20:59 AM

I guess I should add the caveat that EVERYTHING I said about the diapers applies to the BumGenius versions 3 and 4 and predominantly we're using the Velcro with just a few of the snaps that are handy for nighttime double stuff diapers (we do it that way so there's an easy visual separation at bedtime so we can prestuff all the diapers, plus they're less able to pull off the snaps).

Well, those and some taiwanese brand that we got a few of as gifts from my "militant mommy" cousin.

/She's not that bad, she just has her preferred mommy causes and goes hardcore for them

2/13/2012 9:04:41 AM

Quote :

"I have looked around and cannot find ANY car seat that will accommodate him rear facing. Do any of you guys know the specs on what you own or know of something that might work for his size? I might try calling the pediatrician to see if they have ideas. I am not sure if the manufacturer will help me but I guess that is my next step. "

Then turn his butt around. They're basing their recommendation off of statistics, and your kid is structurally similar to most 2 year olds. Your kid will not become magically more resistant to death from car crash the day he turns 2.

2/13/2012 9:28:49 AM

*lol* Don't you know that children are given magic bones on the eve of their 2nd birthdays?

Yeah, if your kid meet size requirements, I would go ahead and turn him around without regard to his age. My niece is in the 99th percentile and they've always followed guidelines according to size and not age.

2/13/2012 9:31:48 AM

Just so you know, I wasn't intending to be mocking. I know first hand how non-rational we can be when it comes to our own children. There's always that nagging thought in the back of your head "well, what if we do get in a wreck and he gets hurt or killed..." which is totally irrational and lacks perspective but there nonetheless.

2/13/2012 9:44:45 AM

My daughter is 8 and a half months. She outgrew the carrier at 4 months. We are definitely planning on turning her around shortly after a year. She is in the 99th percentile and her legs are already cramped in the rear-facing position. The reason behind the urge to keep children rear facing has to do with the strength of the neck muscles in case of an accident/rapid negative acceleration. I contend a child's strength is directly proportional to their size. If they are used to moving a large head (read: higher percentile on growth chart), then they can handle being forward facing a little earlier than recommended.

Eg. Ava is approximately 24lb at 8.5 months. On the girls growth chart, this puts her over the 98th percentile. In the 50th percentile, a 24lb kid would be 21.5mo old.

2/13/2012 9:50:47 AM

Yeah my son is 10 months, and 29 pounds. I don't know if we're even going to make it a year before turning him around.

2/13/2012 11:20:31 AM

damn, my daughter is 4 and also 29 pounds.

2/13/2012 1:00:57 PM

I'm not bragging. Him being so freaking huge and strong is a royal pain in the ass because he still has the brain of a 10 month old. Can't really put him in timeout yet and he's only starting to get "NO". Also, he's frequently mistaken as much older because he has a full head of hair as well. But already has the strength to yank stuff out of our almost 4 year old's hands and out-eats her at dinner as well.

2/13/2012 1:59:07 PM

Yeah, Maya weighs about 32 pounds. Damn, that is a healthy little guy. That sounds like my friend's little boy. I feel bad when she has to carry him around. The good thing is she is building muscle.

2/13/2012 5:26:57 PM

Quote :

"What about big babies? A 95th percentile baby may look stronger than his 5th percentile friend, but in a crash the bigger baby is likely MORE at risk if he's riding forward-facing. The rigidity of bones and the strength of ligaments in the spine is likely the same in children of the same age, no matter their size. And a 95th percentile baby likely has a much larger, heavier head, which will pull forward which much more force than that of a 5th percentile child. "

http://www.thecarseatlady.com/car_seats/rear-facing_seats_6.html

My doctor says the same thing. Since I have to purchase a new car seat anyway (since I am 5.5 months pregnant), I was going to accommodate my son. I have found two that I am hopefully checking out tomorrow.

My son was born at the 14% percentile and has just kept growing. I am hoping he will not be like my 1st cousins (One is 6'5" and the other is 6'8"....My dad is 6'4", but my husband's side is quite short)....so we will see. He is has been running in the 90-98% for height and weight since his 4 month appt.

I can 2nd the big thing being a pain in the ass. I have trouble taking my son to the playground/other places kids congregate because the 3/4 year olds play very rough with him even as I try to explain he is still a "baby".

It is hard also because age appropriate items like the bouncy seat, swing, etc. were outgrown early. I had him in a bouncy seat with a boppy under it after the metal bent to hell. I was actually talking to my mom about companies targeting the taller/heavier baby.



[Edited on February 13, 2012 at 9:29 PM. Reason : ]

2/13/2012 9:19:19 PM

Quote :

"I'm not bragging. Him being so freaking huge"

well, he's probably one of the top football prospects in the nation in his class.

2/14/2012 4:51:01 PM

2 yr old, almost 3 i guess, is 38lbs and 38" tall. He is now in a booster seat with a back, gave up on the car seat.

2/14/2012 7:31:29 PM

So, has anyone here gone through or researched the adoption process in NC? The boys are almost 2 and we're considering finding a little girl to adopt. Always said we wanted one of each sex and frankly there's only one way to guarantee getting a girl (besides expensive medical procedures and putting my wife through another pregnancy which is something I'm not keen on).

2/17/2012 9:13:01 AM

Not personally but some of my friends did. Took like a year and a half and I don't think they were even looking for a particular gender, though they may have been looking for a particular race. This was for an infant as well, so there's that variable too.

[Edited on February 17, 2012 at 9:34 AM. Reason : infant]

2/17/2012 9:34:01 AM

You can't go through the NC Children's Home to get an infant any more. Only first time parents are allowed to get infants and that is through a special program. At least that is what I was told by my sister. She and her husband were looking at adopting a 4 or 5 year old through foster care and they got a call one day asking if they wanted to adopt a little girl who had just been born and the mom signed her over and took off. They were very lucky.

Another couple that I used to babysit for adopted from one of those programs where you find a pregnant mother that doesn't want the baby and then you get the kid when she pops it out. Not sure how long that took the first time, but they have been trying to get another one for over two years now and it is not working out. I do know she has a medical issue she didn't disclose, and she claims that she only works while the kid is at an activity 3 days a week and that is completely untrue because I used to watch the kid from 6am to 6pm while she worked, so maybe they caught on to her lies, but if they haven't maybe it has just gotten tougher.

2/17/2012 9:47:30 AM

I get why you'd want to adopt an infant but I get why you wouldn't either. I'll be damned if I'm potty training another animal in my lifetime.

2/17/2012 10:30:15 AM

Quote :

"So, has anyone here gone through or researched the adoption process in NC? The boys are almost 2 and we're considering finding a little girl to adopt. Always said we wanted one of each sex and frankly there's only one way to guarantee getting a girl (besides expensive medical procedures and putting my wife through another pregnancy which is something I'm not keen on)."

My wife and I are currently fostering to adopt two little boys (age 6,7--they were 4,5 when we got them). If things go as planned, the adoption should be finalized sometime this summer. If you have any questions let me know. It's a huge pain in the ass with social workers and home visits and all sorts of intrusions, but it's well worth it. If you adopt through the state, it's difficult to impossible to get an infant, but it happens from time to time. Usually there is a wait.

I understand it's not so long and intrusive if you are going through a private agency, but I don't have any direct experience going that route. We chose the state partially because we knew we were less interested in getting an infant (although we likely wouldn't have turned one away), but also because it is not $texas. They take care of all home study and lawyer costs.

[Edited on February 17, 2012 at 10:53 AM. Reason : d]

2/17/2012 10:50:50 AM

Not the thread for it, but good on you. <thumbs up>

2/17/2012 3:58:12 PM

Quote :

"frankly there's only one way to guarantee getting a girl (besides expensive medical procedures and putting my wife through another pregnancy which is something I'm not keen on)."

I know you're not considering it, bust a little tidbit for if anyone is thinking about sex selection or "family balancing." You can't just walk into a fertility clinic and announce that you want a boy or a girl. Because some see it as an ethical gray area, many clinics have guidelines for couples seeking sex selection for the purpose of family balancing and at least one method of sex selection isn't even available to couples who wish to family balance. Microsort (Sperm Sorting) is only available to couples who have been referred due to X-linked (sex linked) genetic disease. Our genetics doc filled us in at our last appointment (not that I plan on getting pregnant again any time soon or ever).

2/17/2012 8:56:10 PM

Looks like I'll be joining the ranks of being a (mostly) stay at home mom. I will have to work a small part time receptionist job (15 hr/wk) to cover insurance.

Obviously, our lifestyle is going to have to change since this is about a 50K change for us. Any suggestions on ways to save money that I may not have thought of?

[Edited on February 19, 2012 at 11:30 AM. Reason : add]

2/19/2012 11:30:25 AM

We used an ap like Mint to track our finances. It was really shocking to see where our dollars were trickling away. And on really unnecessary things.

Stop swiping a card and carry cash. It really helps with budgeting money.

If you have to spend money, seriously consider staying at home. We've found it enjoyable to cook at home and spend time with the kids. We've found a lot of free things to do with the kids . . .parks, libraries, community ball games, etc.

Beg, borrow, or steal clothing for your kids. With the first one, I spent a fortune in clothes. With the second one, not so much. I've found people willing to just give away baby stuff to free up space in their homes.

Get rid of cable or satellite.

Couponing is kinda fun, but don't go overboard. Plan your weekly meals, so you don't buy excess. And if you do buy excess, store it, freeze it. For us, it has made sense to get a Sam's Club membership.

2/19/2012 12:20:59 PM

Much to my dismay, I believe we will have to start supplementing formula occasionally if I can't get more milk in my pumping sessions. We got a bunch of formula in the mail when pregnant, and I held on to those. But for those that do formula feed or supplemented, what did your baby prefer?

Quote :

"Stop swiping a card and carry cash. It really helps with budgeting money"

Agreed. I've started doing this for some purchases and I've done much better budgeting this way. We get amazon points using our card, so that still gets used primarily for gas & groceries...but carrying cash has helped me for those other purchases.

[Edited on February 22, 2012 at 9:23 PM. Reason : ]

2/22/2012 9:14:24 PM

I am a stay at home mom too. We have a budget set up that is kind of insane when I try to explain it to people.
We balance the bi-monthly paychecks so that they go into certain categories (tithe, house payment, car and health insurance, household, grocery, gas, an individual blow account for each, main), then to bills (phone, internet, light, gas, water- billpay/autodraft), then to a debt snowball (car payment and student loan-auto draft) and lastly, if we have extra, to savings (extra health, car repair, christmas, rainy day fund). We also try to contribute each month to our $1000 emergency fund.We balance the money each month so that it equals out to $0 so that we know all money is accounted for. This all was a pain in the ass to set up and Ken finally created a way that he didn't have to always update everything but it is so worth it to set out a budget!!

bottombaby is so right. When the cash is gone, it's gone. Cash is an excellent way to judge what you are spending and where. It also is more painful to give up when you see it going away from your hands.

We are like her, we never eat out. That little bit of extra blow money that we have is how we treat ourselves ever so often to things. We have to save it up sometimes just to take each out on a date. Ha!
I shop at WalMart, Target or Trader Joes for groceries and I too use coupons.

2/22/2012 10:09:14 PM

^^ I've had to start supplementing since I've been back at work. I can't keep up pumping with what he's eating and went through my stash pretty quick. B likes Similac Sensitive. The rest gave him the WORST gas. He still has worse gas then just Breastmilk. Beware, formula poops are nasty, and since he's been supplementing he poops less. I'm hoping once I stop working I can cut back on how much formula we're using.

Another small tip... B wouldn't drink formula straight after having only had Breastmilk for 3 months. We had to mix it with BM. He still prefers a mix. I understand. I tasted the formula and it's really pretty gross.

2/25/2012 3:44:49 PM