Garbage Day

I thought my neighbors had gone away for the Labor Day long-weekend since they didn't put their trash out last night.  Early this morning, I saw her put it out. Now I understand why she waited until right before trash pick-up.  By the way, we don't like our neighbors.

In case you can't read it, it says "wedge/lift combo" with three graphic photos.

So if anyone is keeping track...

...I cleaned up vomit FOUR times within a 48-hour time frame. Gross. I hope today is vomit-free!! Here's the re-cap:

1. Buttercup vomited when I was putting her to bed on Tuesday night. She drank her bottle and looked like she was struggling through her burp. I continued trying to burp her when the volcano erupted. Casualties included one teddy bear who had to be thrown up from being in the direct line of fire. The glider and carpet also looked a little worse for wear after that episode

2. I always bathe Mini-V before her afternoon nap on Wednesdays, as she has her weekly Gymnastics class and that place kinda smells foul.  Lately, she has developed an intense (and frightening) fear of the drain, so needless to say, when she had her afternoon bath, she screamed and screamed during rinse-off. The screaming became hyperventilation... and then spluttering lunch vomit. Requiring an unnecessarily torturous prolonged bath in her case. Poor child was so upset, she vomited her entire Happy Meal lunch and milk.

3. That same Wednesday evening, I put Buttercup to bed and a short while later she started crying. Usually she will settle herself but it was getting progressively louder so I went up to look. I opened the door and the smell of vomit wafted over. I approached the crib and my left foot stepped in something wet. When I got on my hands and knees to look, I discovered a distinctly odorous drip trickling down the crib railing and into a little puddle on her rug. I then found vomit in the crib, on her sleep sack, on her, in her hair. Hmm... another bath for the day (the third I had given that day) and probably my sixth load of laundry for the week. 

4. I made the huge mistake of offering Buttercup her first whole piece of broccoli after she had eaten a jar of store baby food and a small bowl of homemade pureed pears. Completely my fault and rookie mistake that I should have known better.  She was doing great on the broccoli until she gaged - which I might add is a perfectly natural response to Baby Led Weaning - and so understandably, she vomited. All. Over. The. Highchair.  I took the entire high chair apart and yup, another bath! And another load of laundry.

Please wish me well for tonight, let's hope it is vomit-free!!!

Daily chore-list to keep your house clean

Here is a short list of things you can do throughout the day to make sure your house is clean and tidy

1. Do your dishes as soon as you can. Putting it off is just prolonging the inevitable. Try to utilize your dishwasher as best you can if you have one.  But remember, it is always best to hand wash certain items such as knives, pots and pans, crystal and good china.
2. Use a hand vacuum immediately when you see small messes, food crumbs in the kitchen and in the entryway. This only takes about ten minutes a day and eliminates the need to do heavy duty vacuuming often.
3. Eliminate clutter by putting things away as soon as you can.  File away mail, throw out garbage, tidy up the children's toys throughout the day (better yet, teach your children to clean up after themselves if they are old enough to learn) and particularly at the end of each day.
4. Wash your dishes, pots and pans used in cooking BEFORE you eat, if you can (refer to no. 1).  It should take just five minutes but the good news is you can enjoy your meal in peace and the only thing you have to do after meal is put your dishes in the dishwasher and store leftovers/throw out garbage.
5. Make the beds. It will make you feel good wen you go to bed, truly.
6. Put clothes requiring laundering in the appropriate hampers straight away.  Don't allow them to accumulate through the house.
7. Wipe kitchen counters, appliances and countertops that are used frequently.  Try to do this a few times a day so they always look clean and remain hygienic.
8. Empty the dishwasher and/or put away washed dishes and every morning. I usually do this while making and eating my breakfast and drinking my coffee.
9. Utilize any free moment to do something small to clean or tidy up. For example, if you are waiting for your kettle to boil, how about quickly wiping down the counters? Or while you are making that quick phone call to make your child's pediatric appointment, how about also tiding up the entrance way and shoes at the front door?
10. Everyday of the week, find one extra chore to do so that by the week's end, you have completed 7 other miscellaneous chores, instead of having to spend an entire Saturday or weekend doing chores.  Some of these extra chores could be: wiping down the microwave, cleaning out the fridge, changing linen etc

I do these chores everyday and it usually takes very little time, probably all together no more than thirty or forty minutes, though individually each task only takes a few minutes. I always feel that even though you can never fully contain the toys or the random glass of water on the coffee table, my house is actually pretty clean and tidy. Not prefect, but not bad considering I have two small children!

Remembering Princess Diana

It has been fifteen years since we lost Princess Diana. Can you believe it? I wonder what she would be like now, had she still been alive? She was such a great role model, advocating for so many important causes and making a difference to so many people in this world. It is fortunate there are other celebrities continuing in her footsteps (Angelina Jolie springs to mind).

Diana the Princess

Diana the mother

6 Ways to Ruin Your Children | Parenting | Moms

"6 Ways to Ruin Your Children | Parenting | Moms"

I was reading the above article and truly felt like it is a good representation of the way my husband and I parent.  I know I have said this before, and by no shape or form am I a perfect parent, but my two-year old is seriously very well behaved.  I always hear remarks from passers-by or friends who comment on how shocked they are at how well-mannered she is for a 26 month-old.

She has never struck, pushed, bullied or shown any aggression to any other child or her sibling, always remembers her pleases and thank yous, and says "may I..." whenever she wants something. She also understands that no means no and Mommy's and Daddy's rules are the law. She doesn't throw tantrums and very rarely protests by raising her hand at me, though this hand is usually held in mid-air like  a threat and never comes down again. Yes, she of course does cry if she really wants something but we don't give in because of her tears. We hold firm and give her a cuddle instead, assuring her that it's ok to cry when Mommy says no. But Mommy stills says no.

Boundaries are really important. We have always stayed true to this value in parenting.  It is important for children to understand that they do not have free reign over the world and over their homes and parents.  With limitations comes a greater value placed on things and privileges that are afforded to the child.  I literally hear this all the time from my daughter.  For example, when she plays with play-dough, I tell her the rules beforehand: she can pick just two colors and only four shape cutters to play with. She can exchange these shapes for other ones if she wants. There really is no rhyme or reason for this rule, other than to teach her restraint and value. And you should hear the gratitude she shows me, "why thank you so much Mommy!" She knows that playing with the dough is not a right but a privilege - just like most every other recreational activity in her life. Yes, you may judge me as being unnecessarily harsh on the poor child but the proof is in the pudding. Honestly, little things like this truly do teach her to value what is given to her and to not negotiate with the law-maker (me) for more.  Of course, she often asks but she really does accept it if my answer if no.  No tantrums thrown, just acceptance and gratitude.

So what are our absolute rules in parenting? The following would be a good summary:

Love

It is so, so important to shower your child with love. Tell them, show them, reinforce it always but not in material ways.  Constantly praise them for being clever or kind.  Tell them how much they mean to you and that they are important.  Encourage them to be good and them hug and kiss them when they are.  This builds self-confidence and encourages good behaviour.  Even if they behave badly, it is important to tell them you love them when you correct that bad behaviour.  If Mini-V is ever reprimanded for something or given a time-out (a rarity), I always tell her I love her but that her behaviour was not acceptable. I tell her what she did wrong and tell her that even though she is in trouble, I still love her.

Consistency

There should always be consistent parenting in the household and amongst caregivers of the child.  From my observations, my friends who have more trouble with their children have inconsistent administrations of discipline amongst the caregivers, usually from a grandparent caregiver or the other parent.  By no means am I stating that consistent parenting only occurs if you and and the other parent are primary caregivers, or if the mother is a stay-at-home mother but I would state that definitely if there is a third-party caregiver, that person needs to completely accept your methods of parenting and not deviate from it.  There also needs to be a homogenous system of discipline that the child can easily expect from every adult taking care of him or her.  Children are not good at guess work, they function better when the unpredictable is removed from the equation.  They need to know what will always be the reaction to their behaviours, and not that Mom or Dad will react differently in certain circumstances.  This will also eliminate those dreaded situations where one parent/caregiver is favored or leveraged against the other. I cannot emphasize how important consistency is. The rules should not change depending on who the caregiver is.

"Proper" Discipline

No child should escape the wrath of the disciplinarian. Discipline is so crucial in good and successful parenting.  I do not condone spanking but I definitely think children should be disciplined through other methods such as time-outs, punishments and reprimands.  The reason I say "proper" discipline is because time and again I have spoken to a parent who says "I try to discipline him/her but the behaviour still continues". This is where it is up to the parent, not the child to examine what he or she is not doing right. This is not the child's fault, this is an error in parenting.  

• I would say "proper" discipline includes - 
• A. consistency (see no. 2); 
• B. clearly and simply explaining to the child on his or her level of understanding what they did wrong, with eye contact; and 
• C. following through with an appropriate repercussion (ie. time out, taking something away, leaving the park/shops/mall etc). I have had my child hit by other kids before and I am always surprised with the lack of proper discipline, and then the parent wonders why it occurs time and time again.  Usually, they don't explain to the child what they did wrong and there are no repercussions.  This is where saying "no hitting" simply is not enough.  And, raising your voice does not suddenly make your discipline methods suddenly have more merit or be more effective.

Encouragement

We should always encourage and praise children for exhibiting good behaviour. Take notice of when your child is kind or well behaved, says their pleases and thank yous and then verbally acknowledge it.  Tell them you are proud of them and encourage them to repeat it in the future.  Human nature at any age is to respond positively to praise and encouragement.


This is really it in a nutshell. It isn't rocket science, just a few simple ways to encourage children to behave well. The best advice that I ever heard was this: Never let the child be the boss of you, you are the parent, not the child.

The Black Box

I heard it said once that it is strange that no matter what sort mess or damage happens to a plane in a plane crash, they are usually always able to recover the Black Box relatively intact.  This same musing, posed the question, why can't they make the airplanes out of the same material as the Black Box?

Just a random thought.

Mini-V's mess-fest

So I have mentioned before that my two-year old has a tendency to vomit and defecate in the most obscure and often difficult situations, testing Super-J and my ability to handle the mess appropriately. Thought you might like to hear about some of the more memorable occasions, I could list so many more but I have to show some restraint or you could be here all day reading.

Downtown restaurant with no change table
This is memorable because it was the first (of many) occasions.  When Mini-V was four months old, we thought it would be easy enough to walk into town and grab a nice bite to eat at a nice restaurant.  It was late September, the leaves were just starting to change color and so we thought it nice to sit at an outdoor table of the restaurant, not wanting to disturb too many people with our baby and stroller. We had just placed our order when a distinct odor wafted over us. The odor of poo.  I did a quick check and found that not only had the baby done a massive one, but off course it was up her back and into her new BundleMe.  I was still a new Mom so I had to think for a moment about what to do. Of course I had a limited supply of emergency items in my diaper bag - blame it on inexperience - but luckily I did have diapers, wipes and, thankfully, a change of clothes. I unfastened the baby from the stroller and headed to the Ladies Room.

So that's when I realized that in this sophisticated Carrera marble lined, wallpapered "powder room", with its fancy Williams Sonoma hand soaps and phalaenopsis orchid, there was no change table.  I set myself up on the bathroom floor (yes, eew), carefully laying out my change pad, and swiftly changed and re-clothed her.  I returned to my table, removed the soiled BundleMe and ate my now cold lunch.

Ikea
I think Mini-V was around 10 months old when we did one of our twice-a-year trips to Ikea to pick up odds and ends and, of course, we stopped at its famed cafeteria. By now, she was eating finger good and I offered her a small piece of my steamed salmon. BIG MISTAKE. A few moments later, Mini-V didn't look so well. Then it happened. Projectile vomiting. When I mean projectile, I really mean it. She spewed with such tenacity that I thought she could enter a vomiting Olympic event.  It went everywhere. All over the highchair, the table, me, herself. And you know along with that vomit comes the frightned screams of The Vomiter. By now we had spectators. I tried to remain cool under the scrutiny.  Acting like oh yeah, I do this all the time. I actually did.  Vomiting was fast becoming one of her common and expected reactions to the teething process.

So anyway, again we were lucky to have a change of clothes, and by now we knew we had to always travel with Zip Lock bags to contain any soiled items.  But you definitely know it's a "situation" when you hear on the overhead announcement that the cafeteria urgently needs contamination clean-up crew - their special attendants who come with buckets, Clorox and who are dressed in heavy duty overalls and gloves.  Just when I thought we were acting as inconspicuous as possible, they send over their people. Nice.

The Mall
I don't now which incidence to mention first. The Mall is one of Mini-V's all-time favorite places to poop, vomit, wet her pants.  On my first birthday as a mother, I met a friend and her little son for lunch with Mini-V.  We had just bought the Baby Jogger City Mini and it was the first time I was using it and the new toddler size BundleMe. Brand new.  We had a nice lunch at the Nordstrom Cafe and I still remember what I ordered, because I saw it again later. I had ordered a Tuna Nicoise Salad, which most people know comes with a nice hardboiled egg on top.  I am allergic to hardboiled eggs, Mini-V is not, so she happily ate the yolk. She was about 8 months' old at the time.

After lunch, we continued walking and she was starting to look sleepy so I covered the mesh backing with the flap to give her some darker quiet inside the seat. It was a little too quiet, and there was "a smell". I looked inside, to my horror, and saw what looked like curdled eggs all over the brand new BundleMe and stroller.

I kid you not, I sat in the Macy's bathroom with her, and the soiled stroller and literally tried to clean everything with about twenty minutes.  I eventually gave up and had to go home, strip everything (including the new stroller) and wash every soiled item. It was utterly disgusting and the worst birthday present ever.  My next birthday, she was sick all over me too - but that's another story!

Another time at an outlet mall, at 8:55pm (5 minutes before closing), Mini-V completely destroyed her diaper and clothing with a foul diaper explosion.  Honestly, I can handle it in the best of circumstances.  I was getting used to it, but this was like the world was testing my abilities under time constraints. I have to say I passed with flying colors. We made it back to the car without too much haste, even if the cleaners had already started doing their work in the now closed Mall.

Mini-V drinks so much water that it is almost a 3-4 times a week deal that she will fill her diaper quicker than we can change it. Even if we change it and then drive someplace, chance are, particularly in the summertime, her pants are wet. We haven't formally started potty training but needless to say, I definitely think it will be challenging keeping up with her need to go! I can't even count and tell you how many times we have had to buy new outfits for her at the mall because she has already used her emergency clothing. No kidding.

Travelling
Well, this list here is voluminous too. She peed on my leg, through her diaper, on a plane trip to Dubai. She projectile vomited (almost getting the iPad, which I had only just put away because I thought - foolishly - she looked "sleepy") in the car and all over Super-J in India. I don't blame her, that car ride was sickeningly bumpy and jerky. The last trip we took, I honestly felt over-zealous packing five sets of emergency clothing for her in my carry-on, even though we were travelling over 20 hours.  Super-J even laughed when he saw and questioned the need for it all. Well, we used up every set of clothing and could have used one more.

Her Crib
This is the last story for you.  Mini-V's crib became her little sanctuary for mess, her high chair too. I can't recall how many times the crib rails had to be Lysol-ed or the sheets had to be cleaned due to mess.  I distinctly remember a couple of the worst times though.

There is a reason why for almost 22 months, we never put Mini-V in two-piece pyjamas. She has always been a butt-scratcher.  And I am not sure about other kids but my older girl has always been one to do a poop during naptime.  Maybe it's just that it is so relaxing and calm and it is the best, most private time for her to do her mess. There was one occasion that I had to learn the hard way that it is not a good idea to let her sleep in a two-piece.  It was mid-afternoon and she had woken from her nap. I could see, and hear, her on the monitor, playing around. Moving from one side of the crib to the other. She was about 15 or 16 months' old, so she was able to run back and forth in her crib.

I usually let her have quiet time when she wakes up, allowing her to nicely wake before bringing her back downstairs. This is mainly because sometimes she will wake and go back to sleep. The five minutes lets me really determine if she is up.  This time, she was quite active and making lots of "playing noises".  I went upstairs and when I opened the door, omg the sheer horror and disgust! The first thing that hit me was the stench. It was that smell of a badly soiled, possibly exploded, diaper, that has since been urinated in and had sat for a little while.  Then when I went over to her, she giggled and I smelled her breath. Yes, that's right. Her breath stank of poop! (I vomit a little in my mouth, thinking of this).  At this point, I think I gasped loudly and shrieked something along the lines of "AAARRRGH!".

Then, I looked at her fingers. Poop. Then I looked at the crib sheet. Poop. Finally, I looked at the crib itself, poop. Honestly, it looked like she had butt scratched and then proceeded to investigate what this matter was, then she has used it as a sort or Art medium with which to draw with. She had "drawn" (in poop) all over the railings, the sheets and even herself.

Needless to say, this was the ultimate in putrified disgusting, filthy moments in the repertoire of Mini-V. And one I will used time and time again against her in the future when she makes any material demands of me ("Mom, I want a car, "no, I cleaned your poop").  In truth, it wasn't too bad to clean, because everything had to be cleaned! At one point, I think I laughed.  It was so disgustingly memorable! To this day, I still try to put her in one-piece pyjamas.

So finally, I just want to add (and I know I posted about Buttercup's vomiting last night) but Mini-V did vomit on my today too. But you know, by now I am a seasoned pro at it ;)

Can you find Blue's Clue?

So I was changing Mini-V's diaper the other day and she suddenly calls out, "I found it! I found it! I found Blues Clues! Blue's Clues".  (Those of you who have children who avidly watch Nick Jr, then you know what I am talking about. If you don't here is the link: Blue's Clues)

So naturally,  I am thinking to myself what is she talking about? Meanwhile she is still pointing to the side of the change table and excitedly shrieking "I found the clue! I found the clue!".

So, this is what it was.... can you find "the clue?" I was laughing so hard when I realized what she was talking about!

Take a closer look at the 'splash' logo on my hand sanitizer... do you think it resembles Blue's paw print?

Easiest and most addictive caramel pecans

I love this easy recipe for caramel pecans, either to add to salads or just to eat as a snack while watching TV.  Here it is!






You will need:

• A small non-stick skillet
• A wooden spatula
• chopped, shelled pecans
• approximately 3-4 Tspn sugar

Method:

1. Place the chopped and shelled pecans into the dry skillet. Do not add any oil. Turn the burner to a medium to high heat. You want to roast the nuts dry, making sure you stir periodically so they don't burn and they toast evenly.  This should only take a few minutes.

2. Once the nuts are 3/4 toasted and brown (you should be able to smell that the nuts now have a roasted scent), make sure the pan is not too hot and add the sugar and stir to coat the nuts.  If the pan starts to smoke or the it starts to smell bitter or like it is burning, immediately remove the pan from the heat and lower the flame. Return to the flame once the temperature has reduced.  The heat should easily and nicely turn the sugar into an amber caramel, it should not smoke or burn! To prevent this, turn the flame down a little, prior to adding the sugar.

At the correct temperature, the sugar should dissolve gradually once added, it should not immediately start to burn

3. Once the sugar has turned to a nice amber caramel and the nuts are roasted and coated, immediately turn off the flame and allow to cool slightly before using. Do not attempt to lick the caramel or touch the pan, the caramel is extremely hot!! I know this because I have burned my tongue before when temptation got the better of me!

4. The candied pecans can be eaten simply or used in a salad or other light meal.  I incorporated the pecans today in my lunch salad of romaine, goat's cheese, homemade beets, button mushrooms, shallots, broccoli and a balsamic vinaigrette. Please note that I am completely heavy handed with the nuts since I go berserk for them, you may want to show a little more restraint than I in your own ratio of nuts:everything else.

It's that moment when....

...you have a false sense of satisfaction with yourself for putting your baby down for the night at 6:30pm. You put your feet up since Super-J is with Mini-V, start planning what you will do for the rest of the evening with only one child left to say night night to...

...Then the baby stirs at 8pm so you go upstairs to check. Oh, she is hungry!! Go back downstairs, make bottle, feed her and suddenly unexpected (and unwarranted) projectile vomiting ensues. Dinner is on the stove, now cold. Your older child is hovering, asking over and over "Did Buttercup bombalid (translation: vomited)? Did she bombalid (translation: vomit)?" - YES, Mini-V, she vomited!!!...

...Super-J appears and swiftly takes the baby over to the laundry to contain the contamination and SHE VOMITS IN HIS MOUTH!

Meanwhile, a little voice in the hallway is chanting, "did she bombalid, Mommy? Mommy! Is that bombalid?". YES, Mini-V, she vomited, yes it is! Please go play with Daddy's iPad!

The now naked Buttercup is on her stomach in the hallway, giggling, happy. If you didn't know any better, you would never have guessed she had been hyperventilating amidst tears just five minutes prior.

After significant damage to a roll of paper towels and a spray bottle of Woolite, along with successful final efforts to put Mini-V to bed and the permanent discarding of a few furry friends from the nursery - oh and don't forget a load of laundry, two showers (one for Daddy and one for Mommy), plus a bath for Buttercup later and it's finally dinner time. In our exhaustion, there was no effort made to re-heat it.  It is 9:30pm.

Hey, at least they are both sleeping now. For the moment.

Product Review: The UPPABaby Vista

Whilst pregnant with my first child, I spent hours and hours online reading customer reviews to decide which stroller to buy. We live in a hip suburb with sidewalks, parks and a nice downtown, so I felt I needed a stroller that would befit this lifestyle.  Ultimately, I was convinced that I "had to have" the UPPAbaby Vista stroller.  We purchased the 2010 limited edition Vista in 'Maya' - a nice bright yellow shade, but the question remains (and four other subsequent strollers later), would I purchase this stroller again if I had to do it over?



Quite simply, I am really not sure. Can't say I love it, can't say I hate it. The UPPAbaby Vista has some great features but its drawbacks are not small and I felt they interfered with my enjoyment and the functionality of the stroller on a daily basis. This is a big deal for a busy Mom. This is the main reason why I am so torn.  If the drawbacks were small, I guess I could overlook it and accept the fact that strollers are never perfect. So here is a summary of my thoughts on the UPPAbaby Vista so you can make up your own mind.

Pros
The UPPAbaby Vista is a beautiful aluminum alloy frame stroller, that handles urban terrain smoothly and effortlessly.  It is an amazing stroller to handle with just one hand - which actually comes in handy when juggling the Starbucks coffee or cell phone in the other.

The large under-stroller basket is one of the main reasons I chose this stroller and I won't lie, it is amazing.  I have taken this stroller to the Zoo, picnics and of course Christmas shopping and the basket easily fit bags and bags of merchandise.  This is great news for a mother doing Christmas shopping but still having to manage a baby and diaper bag in tow!

The wheels on the Vista are super sturdy too. They're made of rubber and you can definitely see it's a level up from those standard plastic-like wheels you see on most strollers. Collapsing the stroller, I admit, did take me a while to get the hang of.  Even after a year, it was still not effortless for me but I will give UPPAbaby credit for engineering a fairly easy kinda-one-hand collapsing method, but we will re-visit this point in the "Cons" section!




The other great feature of the stroller is the canopy.  It has a great mesh rear detail, which not only offers the child fantastic ventilation but also allows the child to see the mother and vice-versa.

My daughter used to love poking fingers at me during walks and would giggle so hard when I tickled her back through the mesh.  The mesh is easily, and securely, covered with a flap that is held down with velcro and nicely rolls up and is fastened with a cute little peg button. The canopy also contains an extendable sun visor, which really came in handy during the afternoon walks and also whilst Mini-V slept.

The seat itself offers the child the ability to sit completely upright or lay virtually all the way back. I really liked this feature of the Vista too.  When I took Mini-V to the Zoo, the complete upright position really offered her a terrific vantage point from which she got a good view of the animal enclosures, without the need for me to constantly take her in and out of the stroller.


And then when she fell asleep in the Vista, I would recline her back and she would be almost 90degrees back.  The only thing is the seat does not completely flatten out and her feet tend to be elevated, but if this ever bothered her, the countless hours she has clocked up asleep in the Vista definitely contradict that supposition.


The Vista offers a single-foot brake attached to the right rear wheel, which was also a wonderful feature.  The brake locks securely and is extremely easy to press, even in a sandalled or flip-flopped shoe! (A key factor in the summertime to most mothers!). You can also lock the front wheels to give smooth riding on bumpier terrain. Unlocked, the wheels turn smoothly, offering ease in pivoting the stroller around obstacles and bends in the sidewalk.

Other noteworthy features include the mesh and rain covers and bassinet included in the price of the stroller - something not always added with universal stroller systems. The rain cover really is also wonderful for the cooler weather, protecting bub from the outside elements. We certainly used it here in Michigan during Mini-V's first Christmas and it was not warm!!

It was a really cold night and the baby did great under the clear rain cover.

Cons
So you may be asking yourself now why on earth did she say she may not buy this stroller again? At this point, I want to say that us Moms have very simple and basic needs.  Sometimes, we don't really care about the engineering of a stroller, or the soy fabric in the bassinet.  Our needs center on a few key requirements:

1. Can I get this stroller in and out of my car quickly because my child has done a big poop and is screaming bloody murder?;
2. My husband actually works and is unable to be with me Monday-Friday while I run errands so am I physically able to collapse and open this stroller 5 times in one day without killing my back? Oh yes, and I have a screaming child in the car;
3. Where can I safely put my Cafe Latte? It's hot and my child is screaming?
4. Ooops, I am pregnant again, where will my second child go?
5. Is my stroller small enough to make it through the aisles of BabyGap?

So, if you are like me, I felt that spending $700 on a stroller was a little bit of a waste of money.  My husband and I travelled a lot with my first child so firstly, the UPPAbaby Vista was not a stroller to be easily travelled with. It is bulky, heavy, not really that easy to collapse with one hand.  The solution I guess is to buy a cheap umbrella stroller but I think that after you have spent $700 on a single stroller, you have guilt and remorse when you go ahead to actually buy that second stroller. We ended up loving a simple snap and go stroller when Mini-V was really little.  It was simple, had a good sized basket underneath and accommodated the infant car seat beautifully. All for around $65.

(Taken in Seattle)

Later on when we had to take a big trip to Australia, we bought the Baby Jogger City Mini. Wonderful stroller, crappy basket.  After the trip, we ended up using the City Mini for everyday use over the Vista due to its light frame and easy single-hand collapse feature.  I really loved the ability to pull a handle on the City Mini and literally have the stroller collapsed.  So many times I had done that whilst holding my child with the other arm. Brilliant. I really wished the UPPAbaby Vista was a little lighter and less bulky to collapse and carry. The other great feature about the City Mini is that it is virtually flat when reclined fully, so your child can really sleep nicely. Believe me, my daughter has spent many hours sleeping comfortably in the City Mini - during weddings, dinners, at the mall etc.

With our new City Mini on a trip to Australia. Mini-V is fast asleep in this photo.

When Mini-V was 16 months, we gave in and bought an umbrella stroller when we made a trip to India.  We knew our larger strollers would be difficult to travel with and they would get ruined with all the flights.  This point for sure highlights the fact that, had we only had the Vista, we would have struggled travelling with it.  We bought the Chicco Liteway Stroller as it had a (limited) recline feature and its canopy upgrade, in hindsight this was a great decision even though it was almost double the price of the lesser Chicco umbrella stroller model.  I have to admit, I am yet to use the stroller since returning from our trip to India, I guess it was easier to just go back to using the City Mini!

At the Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India

This might sound trivial but the cup holders on the Vista are a joke.  They are flimsy and really not safe for holding any drink, let alone a hot one. Plus, the stroller is quite wide, so having a cup holder dangling on to the side of a stroller really isn't a great idea. I wonder if the fancy engineers designing the stroller fell asleep when deciding on this detail of the stroller? Like I have said before, I guess this sounds trivial but really, it's the little features that count to a mother because when they are designed well, they make our lives that much easier. Truly.

Depending on how you view it, UPPAbaby Vista Rumble Seat is either a good idea or a bad one.  Originally, when we purchased the Vista, we had intended to let the stroller grow with us and our growing family. We thought when we fell pregnant again, we would simply purchase the rumble seat and keep using the stroller.  Then again, I was a childless pregnant woman who had no clue about these things.  When I did eventually fall pregnant shortly before Mini-V turned one, I soon realized just where the rumble seat would be fitted... at the bottom rear of the stroller.  Basically, Mini-V would practically ride in the basket! 

The Vista with the Rumble Seat fitted

Anyone with kids knows how impractical this is because a toddler wants to see the world passing her by, talk to people, wave at the dogs, get in and out to run to the park swings, see Mommy and of course, she her new sibling! We made the decision at that point that we had outgrown the UPPAbaby Vista and needed a double stroller. This time around, and wiser, we didn't buy a fancy one and doing that was a great choice because my two-year old likes to mostly walk and we only use the double stroller for the mall and the Zoo.  I would have just died if we had spent another $700 on another under-used stroller!

You expect that for that much money, your stroller should do everything for you, including change your baby's diaper.  Perhaps I had unrealistic expectations and just wanted the Vista to meet all my needs and it did not. Large baskets and smooth handling aside, I realized that buying a stroller is a very personal choice and when you have to do it, it is best to write a list of the absolute 'non-negotiables' and then find that stroller that checks off most of those on your list.  So while the UPPAbaby Vista has, in my opinion, the best stroller basket on the market and handles beautifully, I am not certain it is worth spending $700 for it. For everyday trips, I replaced it with my City Mini in the trunk of my car and left the Vista at home for neighborhood walks.  I am not sure I can justify $700 for an "occasional stroller".  That is my biggest problem.  I have a couple friends who own the Vista and they also found it useful to own a secondary, more compact stroller to travel with and for everyday quick trips.    Well, maybe this is the solution?

Hello World!

Hello out there!

Firstly, I want to say thank you for stopping by! This is my grand entrance into the Blogging world!! I have been wanting to start a blog for sometime now but, and I think most Moms out there will relate when I say, 'I had no time'!!! After thinking about doing this for many months, I finally started today while my two little ones took a nap. Thank God for nap time :)

So what will you find in my blog?

This blog is aimed to provide you with tidbits of random information, resources, product reviews, tips, stories and ideas for the household, whether it is cooking, parenting, travel, keeping house... and just living life.

About Me

I was married in 2006 and we have two little girls. My oldest, Mini-V, turned two this summer.  She is hilarious, clever and the sweetest, most polite child I have seen. Yes, I am biased, but it is true!!  She loves to dance, talks incessantly, hates to eat and spent her first year pooping and vomiting on everything in sight.

My second baby was born earlier this year, and the heavens shined on me when I had Buttercup.  In case you are wondering, these are pseudonyms and I did NOT name my daughter Buttercup!!! The reason I say the heavens shined on my is because she spent the first five months of her life just eating and sleeping. Nothing else. Not crying, not fussy, not having a myriad of bodily function explosions (like her sister). She was like the baby you see in movies that just falls asleep on your shoulder. Things have changed a little now that she is almost seven months. She cries more, her poops stink and are voluminous and she likes to yank out my hair by its follicles. She is still an angel though.

Mini-V adooooores Buttercup.  I am so happy. They spend most of the day hugging and kissing each other (well, Mini-V does the kissing and Buttercup responds by yanking her hair). This was the reason I was so thrilled when I heard I was having a second daughter. I always envisioned two little girls, best friends, sidekicks etc etc. I really hope they continue being close.

My husband Super-J is a great help, I am incredibly lucky. Even despite working at best 14 hours a day, he still comes home and is super-dad. Did I mention I was lucky? Sometimes he doesn't have a choice because the moment he gets home, Mini-V wraps herself around his leg. If you ever looked up "Daddy's Girl" in the dictionary, it would probably have my daughter's photo alongside the definition. More than once a week, I feel bad for Super-J. I remember the pre-stay-at-home-Mom days when I worked long hours and I know the last thing I would want to do when I came home from work would be change diapers or play hide-and-seek but he does this whenever he is home before the children's bedtime. I am blessed!

Well, we live in middle-America though I was not born or raised here. So if I revert to the English spellings of words, please forgive me. Super-J already mocks me when I say "schedule". The other tidbit is that I lost my amazing mother when Mini-V was four weeks old so periodically, I will share information related to loss, grief, motherless mothering etc. I think about my Mom everyday, she was truly amazing and very accomplished. She was one of those people who could master anything she tried. She really was gifted.

Well, once again I thank you for taking the time to stop by and check out my blog. I hope you stay and linger and watch how this blog develops.

Happy blogging y'all!