This is a long term investment you will not regret making! We chose the city elite double jogger. No, I don't jog but this stroller is so easy to push and manuver! It's great for places like Disneyland or walks around the neighborhood because it hardly takes any effort to push it! It has two front wheels for easy steering and if you do want to jog in a straight line you can lock the front tires in place. There's also a runaway strap in case you trip that pulls the lock :). BOBs are nicer and easier but more expensive than the city elite :)
Cons- Ok so it's not the easiest stroller to fold or lift because it folds down in an awkward shape. Careful you don't scrape your shin on the kids floorboards! It doesn't come with cup holders either but we were able to order a strap on organizer that fits great! You also need a tire pump in case the tires go flat! You'll find cheaper strollers out there but from what we tested, we liked this one the best. There's also no way to fit a third child, it's two separate folding down chairs.
We first purchased a graco double which worked fine for the first few months. My son was able to snap in using the infant seat but it was hard to push and steer! I also lost two of the four cup holders!
Another popular stroller is the sit and stand. A lot of my friends with older toddlers loved to use this stroller. The toddler stands yet has a seat to sit on (that faces you as you push) while the infant has an actual stroller seat to sit in. The stroller is long and I've heard it's also hard to fold down but it convenient.
There's also a way to use your single stroller as a double! We have a Grace single which goes with us everywhere. I place Abby on top of the seat where the canopy goes. I don't take my hands off the stroller cause it could possibly tip over or backwards if she tries to get off!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Feeding
How am I going to spoon feed two children!? Simple! Don't! My husband taught our 15 month old how to use plastic spoons and forks recommended age. You can get these disposable dishwasher safe at target for less than $3-! Sitting with your child and having her hold the spoon and you guide her hand to scoop. It works! Practicing daily will pay off when the second baby comes and you just put a bowl in front and feed the other.
(Bottle verses breast see whole blog)
(Bottle verses breast see whole blog)
Getting Organized!
Husband helped me after my first baby! Not a morning person. Things take twice as long with two! Always give yourself an extra 15 minutes! Lay things out the night before clothes diapers pack the diaper bag pick your own outfit shower the night before.
Loading and unloading!
There has to be a particular order in taking two little kids out of the car when they have no real concept of danger! I ALWAYS placed my kids into the stroller. Once parked, get the stroller out FIRST and load whatever return items or diaper bags and purse you need. Then load the child that doesn't wiggle (example: infant carseat) and lastly, put the older child in who needs to be buckled or restrained. My daughter learned how to unbuckle at an early age so I always put her in last so that I could keep an eye on her. Of course my son wasn't going anywhere, he was in his infant seat! On the way back, it's the same order but in reverse! Put the wiggly child in the carseat, then the infant seat then the stroller and bags. :)
With grocery shopping, you shouldn't leave your children unattended. We have a driveway where I'd pull up to the garage and unload everything into the garage. Once all the bags were in the garage, I brought the children into the house, closed the garage then started to bring in the bags from the garage. Your childs safety should always be the main concern. If I unloaded the kids first, they'd be running around the driveway and sidewalk while I unloaded bags from the car!
With grocery shopping, you shouldn't leave your children unattended. We have a driveway where I'd pull up to the garage and unload everything into the garage. Once all the bags were in the garage, I brought the children into the house, closed the garage then started to bring in the bags from the garage. Your childs safety should always be the main concern. If I unloaded the kids first, they'd be running around the driveway and sidewalk while I unloaded bags from the car!
Shopping!
I remember the first time I took two kids to the grocery store, I began to panic! I lifted one child into the seat and realized there wasn't a place for the second child! I was babysitting a friends son who needed diapers and lunch, my daughter was 8 months old. I grabbed my baby bjorne and put my daughter in it and the 17 month old sat in the seat!
If you have an infant seat, it will fit inside most baskets and your older child can sit in the seat. (exceptions are Trader Joes and Michaels who have narrow carts)! I didn't trust my toddler in the store, she needed to be restrained an I refused to use a leash. Sometimes I'd put the kids in the double stroller and hook a shopping basket to the handle and continue my shopping! The infant seat also fits in the seat part and toddlers can go inside the shopping cart but that's not recommended by the shopping cart people cause the kids could lean and fall. I wouldn't even try and use the bus cars or double seaters at Target. Kids love to kick, you're in my space or they're grabbing candy and putting it in their cart! Costco is the only store where I make an exception for the kids sitting together. The kids have to face you, an infant seat does fit inside the double seats too which is great!
Having little treats for you toddler make all the difference while shopping! The Dollar Tree sells mini-lollipops which are perfect for little kids, you can also purchase individual fruit snack bags to keep their little fingers occupied and buy you some time in the store. I carry these special treats in my purse specifically for shopping time! Reward their good behavior, give them an incentive to behave!
I'm not a huge morning person so at night, My friend Meg and I would love to get out and go shopping at 9- while the dads watched the sleeping kids! Kohl's, Ralphs, Target, Walmart, Albertsons, all open late!
If you have an infant seat, it will fit inside most baskets and your older child can sit in the seat. (exceptions are Trader Joes and Michaels who have narrow carts)! I didn't trust my toddler in the store, she needed to be restrained an I refused to use a leash. Sometimes I'd put the kids in the double stroller and hook a shopping basket to the handle and continue my shopping! The infant seat also fits in the seat part and toddlers can go inside the shopping cart but that's not recommended by the shopping cart people cause the kids could lean and fall. I wouldn't even try and use the bus cars or double seaters at Target. Kids love to kick, you're in my space or they're grabbing candy and putting it in their cart! Costco is the only store where I make an exception for the kids sitting together. The kids have to face you, an infant seat does fit inside the double seats too which is great!
Having little treats for you toddler make all the difference while shopping! The Dollar Tree sells mini-lollipops which are perfect for little kids, you can also purchase individual fruit snack bags to keep their little fingers occupied and buy you some time in the store. I carry these special treats in my purse specifically for shopping time! Reward their good behavior, give them an incentive to behave!
I'm not a huge morning person so at night, My friend Meg and I would love to get out and go shopping at 9- while the dads watched the sleeping kids! Kohl's, Ralphs, Target, Walmart, Albertsons, all open late!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Another crib?!
Knowing my son would need a place to sleep after he was born I questioned whether or not to purchase another crib since my 20 month old needed a place to sleep!
We had a great Graco Pack N Play with the built in bassinet but it's so difficult to take apart and move around the house. You have to take the bassinet part off that also has the mattress in it, take the mattress out so it fits through the door then move the pack n play!
I wanted a safe place to be able to lay my child down during naptime where my daughter wouldn't disturb him. We decided to invest in a co-sleeper by Within Arms Reach. This worked great for us! Rather than have a bassinet next to your bed that can get knocked over by my toddler daughter or dog, this secures to your mattress! www.armsreach.com I had a girlfriend who recommended the bed to me and I've included a photo of my son. You can purchase them online from the manufacturer or find barely used ones on ebay.com. It's a little pricey and also difficult to assemble and dissasemble but we found it useful and have passed it on twice now to other friends who've been able to use it too! We feel we got our moneys worth!
When my daughter celebrated her 2nd birthday, my son was 3 months old. That seemed to be the perfect time to transition both babies into new beds! Abby moved into a toddler bed and Christian was now in my daughters old crib.
We had a great Graco Pack N Play with the built in bassinet but it's so difficult to take apart and move around the house. You have to take the bassinet part off that also has the mattress in it, take the mattress out so it fits through the door then move the pack n play!
I wanted a safe place to be able to lay my child down during naptime where my daughter wouldn't disturb him. We decided to invest in a co-sleeper by Within Arms Reach. This worked great for us! Rather than have a bassinet next to your bed that can get knocked over by my toddler daughter or dog, this secures to your mattress! www.armsreach.com I had a girlfriend who recommended the bed to me and I've included a photo of my son. You can purchase them online from the manufacturer or find barely used ones on ebay.com. It's a little pricey and also difficult to assemble and dissasemble but we found it useful and have passed it on twice now to other friends who've been able to use it too! We feel we got our moneys worth!
When my daughter celebrated her 2nd birthday, my son was 3 months old. That seemed to be the perfect time to transition both babies into new beds! Abby moved into a toddler bed and Christian was now in my daughters old crib.
I'm a multiple baby Mom!
When my daughter Abby was a year old, I discovered I was pregnant with my son! I'm a multiple baby Mom! Having 2 babies 20 months apart was challenging, having 1 baby can be challenging! I decided to write a blog with my tips and from other multiple baby Moms! I plan to do Title blogs that have tips that do with specific things like, strollers or grocery shopping! Feel free to comment and add your own tips to the titled blogs or, if you have questions and want tips, email me! I hope you enjoy! :)
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