I need stroller advice/input

Okay so we are t-minus twenty weeks here and I need some good advice for a double stroller. We 1. really can only afford one and 2. really only have space for one - so it better be a good one. Let me preface this by saying that we use our stroller now with little E probably 5-sh times a week. She LOVES to go on walks and I think the walking 1ish mile per day has helped me keep this preggo weight in check - crucial!!!  So here are my options and my reviews of them -having not used one I need to hear from people who have used them...

Britax B-Ready with 2nd Seat

I am seriously considering a model like this Britax because it is a single inline stroller for two. It does not appear to be super bulky and I LOVE my Britax convertible car seat. I was looking at a Phil and Ted's model which is similar and it got horrible reviews on Amazon. There are no reviews for the Britax yet. Also, major drawback of this stroller is... it is $650 new! If I can find a decent one on Craiglists maybe might consider paying $300 - but I'm not sure. Definitely drawn to models like this because they seem the most practical but need some real time usage advice.

Baby Trend Double Stroller

Again this is another single inline stroller. I really liked my Baby Trend infant carrier so I definitely trust this brand. This stroller is much bulkier than the Britax. We have a Ford Explorer so I think we could fit it in the back but could be tight. I like this model over the Britax because once Baby K #2 is E's size then there is plenty of head room and lookout room for both kids - which is a legitimate concern. Another benefit is this model new is $200ish - much much more reasonable.

Dream on Me Double

I figured I throw this into the mix because it is in the $100 range and is very cost effective. It is clearly not practical until baby #2 can actually sit up and has major head control because there is no snap in option for the infant carrier like the two other models have. Also, I am not crazy about twice the width because going through a store and doorways cannot be easy.

Okay so ready, set, go... Illumine me with your double stroller wisdom : )

"When's the Next One Coming"

I was sarcastically asked this at Swimworld last week and much to the questioner's dismay, the answer is February. February 9 to be exact. So E is going to be a big sissy and Lee and I are going from double coverage to man-to-man. We are really excited about another baby! E is definitely definitely a toddler now and is articulating what she needs and wants - sometimes better than others - and babies are just so stinking cute - and they stink occasionally too.

So we knew for 2 months before we told anyone the news and I am clearly behind on the blog posts so that is why its delayed news here. We waited so long because with little E we went at 8 week and again at 13 weeks and the second time they could not find her heartbeat on the doppler - which was a horrible feeling. After a long wait in the ultrasound line and many many Hail Marys the nurse found little E. I knew she was a girl when she was being mischievous because well I just did.

This time its different. I'm not really sure boy or girl. Boy would be great. Girl would be great - especially for E since they will be so close in age. Either way we'll need new clothes because E's clothes are a full season ahead of this little beebster. No we are not going to find out. I am a planner but there are not many times in your adult life where you can say Yes I was genuinely surprised. Yes we have the names picked out and we have had the names picked since before the baby ever came be to. No we are not telling. However, we will say that first and middle names will start with the same letter - as does Little Miss EEK's name.

Its pretty crazy that I am 20 weeks now. I have not gained nearly the weight that I did with E  - which is a good thing because I went a little overboard the first time around. I don't really feel pregnant in many ways. Clearly I look preggo but I am still having a hard time wrapping my mind about having another baby. I don't know if its just old hat now or what. Its weird. Its definitely not to say that we aren't excited or looking forward to this baby but it feels different.

Maybe it feels different because everyone asks me well how are you going to do it. Honestly the answer is I have no idea and quite frankly I don't have the time to be worried about it. I'll definitely have a plan in place but really I cannot waste hours of my time wondering what I'm going to do. Check out Jeremiah 29:11-14 and then you will know why I refuse to be in a state of worry. It will all work out. Hopefully the babies will not have to be in daycare but maybe they will - who knows. MMO is working out really well and the ladies there are so loving to E - I cannot imagine what I would do without them. All I know is that I do not think I can be a full time stay at home mom. As much as I would like to in theory - I must have mental stimulation outside of babbling with babies - you know? And there is nothing wrong with it! I don't feel like any less of a mom because I work - and no mother should. With E I went to work two weeks after she was born and I am very sure that that is one of the things that saved me from postpartum because I was so occupied with things including E and I was around people and that was my support network.

Well enough of the soapbox... cheers to baby Kibbe #2 - (and there is only one - my doctor said it might be two but ultrasound proved him wrong!  : )

Another E Update!

In other E news... she has lots of things on her mind these days. Most of which the Papi and I cannot decipher but here are a few of her words..

Mama,
Papa,
cup (E has to have her cup in the morning when she wakes up)
more (she used to sign this but she has moved into the shouting stages of this),
potty (we are continued to have potty success, random but its better than diapers),
book (E really enjoys reading - and tearing out pages),
bath (kinda - she can't get the th out very well but it is a start),
bow (accessory!),
Emma (that is one of her friends at Mother's Morning Out),
Elmo, horsey (she LOVES riding her horsey but LOVES it even more when someone pushes her),
out (we try and go out everyday to play in the sand and go on a walk),
Nini (that is her blanket),
teeth teeth (we have started brushing teeth before bed),
pray pray (after teeth teeth we pray pray),
ball (soccer star in the making),
shoes (she has discovered she can wear my shoes and that is really really cute),
hi,
bye,
no

Just to name what I can remember. In other summer news E has gotten to see her cousins in between our INSANE work schedule. Having big cousins is so great because they will push you on your horsey and they can read to you. First they read her Fox in Socks and I cannot say there would be an encore performance of that. If you have not read that book in a while you should.

The reading of Fox in Socks... Next time they read to her it was There's a Wocket in my Pocket which is alot less of a tongue twister!

E also has a shoe fetish I think. She loves shoes. Her shoes, my shoes, her papas shoes... Anyone's shoes she can get her hands on... Watch out. I have grown to appreciate shoes over the years but she is getting a start early.

 Let's see also this summer E was a super sport for my parents 30th surprise anniversary party. Not too many pics from that unfortunately but we got my parents BIG TIME and they definitely deserved it.

She LOVES balloons

E made Papi a new tile at Bisque Art. She was completely horrified that she 1. had to have her feet painted and 2. had to put them on the tile.

Fun at Bisque Art

Lee turns 34!!!

A long overdue update.. one of several

Okay so my mom has been begging me to update the blog (probably just so she can see pics of the beebster) so here goes nothing. Last post was about the big 1st birthday. Actually not that big...  but you know. And the bibis is not much of a baby any more... : ( She is definitely a toddler which kinda makes me really really sad.

Life updates: E is walking all over the place. Fully fledged walker for sure. More importantly E is a super diva queen when it comes to accessorizing. She definitely did not get the idea of accessorizing from me because any one who knows me - knows that I do not accessorize. E loves to wear multiple bows even if they do not match and she is more likely to keep the  bows in if there are more than one.

 

Also, when Auntie Mary, Rhonda and Kelly came to visit E learned all about bracelets and she was thrilled when Kelly came home with bracelets just for her. Seriously E accessorizes herself and her horsey - and the arm wearing the bracelets is solely dedicated to the bracelets - she will not risk one of them falling off. 

Food updates: E will eat just about anything.  I forget if I posted anything about her eating olives and pickles. She definitely gets that from her Papa because I do not like either. The beebs is obsessed with bread/toast. If we are eating we have to hide it until she finishes all her good healthy food. She has also been enjoying a wide variety of summer fare - watermelon and corn for starters - thank goodness for those teeth-ies

E gets about 60-75% of the corn kernels off the cob and probably really could eat 25% of a large watermelon in one day... but we wouldn't actually let her do that : )

I just had to change the title of this blog because I don;t have time to tell of everything else because to do to work and I don't want to ignore E and Lee for the last hour I have at home. Working all the time and trying to be a diligent cross-stitcher is taking up much of my blog time - I'll be back soon.

Happy Birthday!!! Part 2

The Birthday GIRL!!!

 So E had a birthday in Raleigh-world and the Mount. Here are pics from the Mount birthday. We had some friends over for BBQ chicken - which was amazing! Followed by cake and presents - of course. Fortunately E did not actually eat any cake so she was not completely wired!!!

Pretty cake

Picking up the whole piece of cake

Dropping the whole piece of cake

Designing with the destroyed cake on the highchair

Who me???

Trying to open presents.

Happy about her new toys and clothes

Second attempt at present opening

Papi putting together my new horsey

Riding my new horsey

Thanks to everyone who helped make E's first birthday special!!! Whether you sent cards or saw her in person we really appreciate it! We could not have made it through this first year without everyone's love and support.

Happy Birthday!!! Part 1

 

Apologies for this post being almost a month late but chasing around a one-year-old is a ton of work! E was such a lucky one-year-old that she actually had two parties so these are pics from the first one. As you can see she was very excited about the cake - chocolate cake with raspberry-chocolate filling. It was amazing. E really only had maybe two bites - but it was still fun to watch!

Opening first present before cake because Uncle Kev had to pack for his summer adventure in NM.

Extremely intent on the cake!!!

Blowing out the candle!

The birthday beebster

E has learned how to empty bags - it is very happy about it.

Cameo of the 'woof' - E's favorite distraction

YAH CAKE!!!

It is worth mentioning that after the two bites of cake - E was wired from Grammy and Grandpa's Joe's all the way back to the Mount (she'll usually past out after about 15 minutes in the car) and did not go to sleep for about an hour or so once we got home - it was probably 9:30 when she finally gave in - three hours past her bedtime!!!

Present from Grammy and Grandpa Joe - the box was really fun to play on.

So it is crazy looking back thinking that little Miss E was born a year ago. I like listening to Lee tell me all about how it played out. If you asked me today how the birthing process went and compared it to what I would have told you at the hospital it would have been much different. Looking back at pics of E over the past year is kinda strange because I am already noticing how much she has grown and also that I really don't have a little baby anymore!

Pics of birthday numero dos to follow!

Happy Easter!!!

 

Okay so I know I am a bit late with this post but here are the highlights of our marathon Easter weekend! The Bibis was such a super trooper for Holy Week and Easter. 5 days with 1.5-plus long Church services are alot for a 11 month old to handle. After church Sunday morning we went to Grammy and Grandpa Joe's for dinner. My mom still hid Easter baskets for E and Kevin and even pulled off hiding Lee and mine gift - a plant. E slept through the basket finding process but maybe next year she will be more interested. Then Lee's mom came down from the Mount for dinner - Lamb! Maybe one day I'll get to be as good and daring of a cook as my mom.

Helping Mama set up our Pascha basket at church!

After church with Papi

Two Easter baskets!!!

Crab crawl to the baskets

Easter basket goodies

2011 Easter Family Picture courtesy of Uncle Kev

Baby Shower!!!

A super great friend of mine from UNC - Erin - is pregnant and due probably any day now. Another super great friend from UNC - Mary - and I (with some amazing help from my mom) had a Baby Shower for her a few weeks ago. Erin's friends and family from out of town came - including nephew L-man who was 4-ish months old. We had a great time and Erin got set up with some really great stuff. Its fun to get together and talk about baby stuff and baby names etc etc. Good friends, good food, good times...

So E made a new friend with Erin's nephew. E and L are 6 months apart in age but they were about the same size!!! Little L-man is not so little (he weighed 11-ish lbs when he was born I think : ) but he was super cute and a super trooper coming to the shower and being the only guy at the party!!!

Some great finds...

A few weeks ago I hit up a local consignment sale at a near by church. I went on the second (and final day of the sale) so I got an even better deal - 50% off the marked price. I was probably most satisfied with the Robeez. I got 6-12 months Robeez that we probably never worn because a couple hours after E wore them they were dirtier than when I got them - $1.50!!! Normally those baby shoes are at least $20.00!!! I got this cute Rare Editions dress and smocked dress for nothing close to the regular price.

Why pay regular price when you can get it loved (gently used) for FRACTIONS of the cost!!! (and its the green thing to do : )