The Great Stroller Debate & Covered Goods Giveaway!!

This week on Mamalogues we are talking about strollers and we are giving away a Covered Goods Multi-Use Nursing Cover!!!

What does a multi-use nursing cover and a stroller have in common, you might ask? Well, gone are the days of just a regular old cover up for nursing your baby. Covered Goods has upped the breast feeding game by creating this four in one wrap that covers you from all angles while nursing your baby, but it can also be used as a shopping cart cover, scarf, and best of all, it can be used as a stroller cover that protects your most precious gift from mother nature's elements (and also all those hands you don't want touching your little cherub while you are out and about!).

                         

So now that you know what this multi-purpose cover has in common with your stroller, let's talk about single versus double strollers!!

If and when you decide to have a second child, one thing to consider is whether or not you will get a double stroller once you have two children in your household.

We think that having a double stroller, like most things in parenting, is a personal choice and may not be for everyone. For Dani's family, the decision was to opt out of getting a double stroller. This was because there wasn't enough storage for it in our garage and because Dani feels the double strollers are obnoxious in size when being pushed around.  Also, Dani decided that she preferred carrying the baby in the baby bjorn when her older daughter was in the stroller.  If her daughter decided to walk, then she put the baby in the stroller. So the need for the double stroller wasn't really there for Dani's purposes.

Dani's family continues to use their Graco Snug Fit Car Seat and Stroller combo even after having their second child.  It is a single stroller with clip in option for the infant seat. You can use it without the car seat and it functions wonderfully as a forward facing toddler stroller with a shade. It can also recline into more comfortable sitting positions, or if the child is still quite small, it can be made into a bassinet by reclining entirely and flipping up a foot rest to keep the baby from wiggling their way out.

Mary Beth's family is on the fence with this double stroller decision. As many of you who watch Mamalogues on YouTube may know, MB is expecting her second child.  So naturally, she told Dani she wanted a double stroller and Dani listed all the reasons why she should not make this purchase. MB's family currently uses their Britax stroller that she loves because it functions a lot like an umbrella stroller. It is very simple to collapse with pressing just one button. Although closing up shop seems easy with this stroller, the con for MB is that it folds out on itself leaving it open to getting dirty when it gets thrown in the trunk of her car, or worse, when it's being tossed around by airport personnel.

So what should Mary Beth do?? Leave us your opinion below! You can find out what sort of advice Dani gave Mary Beth by watching the episode below!! 

                         

Do you agree with Dani? Is a double stroller a waste of money and storage space?

While you think that one over, don't forget we are giving away TWO of these gorgeous four in one covers featured in this episode.  Find out how to win one yourself by entering our giveaway below!

Thanks again to Covered Goods for their generous gifts to our viewers and readers!!

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You Might Be A Yippie If....

1. You shop at Whole Foods because you've recently gone Paleo.

2. You find a reason to wear your yoga pants to every where but yoga class. 

3. The choice between Mrs. Meyers, Seventh Generation and Method cleaning supplies has become incredibly difficult for you because you recently gave up making your D.I.Y. cleaners.

                                           

4. You recently gave up dyeing your hair because going gray is in now and you don't want those nasty toxins leaching into your body.

5. Even your children are on board with buying all things organic.

6. You sit at work day dreaming about the pets you recently adopted and what it is they do all day while you're at your boring corporate job.

 7. You recently watched this episode of Mamalogues and found no relief in the things we said, rather you've only grown more concerned that you might be a Yippie. 

                        

An open letter to my almost two year old

To Colton on your 2^nd birthday,

Hi Bubs, it’s Mama. 

I have to be honest I’m having a bit of a hard time. Today is the day before your second birthday. I know that I’m supposed to be excited and thrilled for you, but a big part of me is very sad.  I’m sad because tomorrow you will officially become a “little boy” and that might be more than I can handle. You’ll always be my baby boy. You’ll always be my mister smiley. You’ll also always be the one who taught me that babies are not easy. Your sister, you see, was what they call an “angel” baby. Some might even call her a “trick” baby because she led us to believe that having an infant was super-duper easy. Because of that we decided that having a second child was something we wanted. How hard could it be?? Haha! So naïve.

And that’s not to say that once you were here you were a difficult baby, but you certainly did not make things as easy on us as Chaela did. You were given the nickname mister smiley early on because you hit the milestone of smiling before we expected you to hit it.  You also loved to sleep just like your sister.  But boy, when you wanted something did you let us know by SCREAMING.  You had this ear piercing scream that I will never forget and sometimes you still use those lungs when you’re upset!  I hope you know that’s what makes you special. Although I am sad that you are losing your baby chubs and growing into a little boy, I am so impressed with your strong opinions and how you’re never afraid to express them.  You know what you want, when you want it and you have no problem letting anyone know. You’re a strong willed person with a twisted sense of humor (I’d like to think you get that from me, but I suppose we can thank daddy, too.) You can also be quite shy at times when we go somewhere new. I guess that’s the Gemini in you. You have two definite sides to you. One that terrifies me, yet impresses me because you are so bold and so brave and the other side that I adore because you can be so sensitive, sweet and loving.

Let’s talk about Elmo. In case we forget to tell you someday, because believe me it’s hard to remember everything the second child does with as much detail as we did with the first, let me tell you that you LOVE Elmo. And I don’t just mean love like a child loves ice cream or cake. You have affection towards Elmo unlike anything I’ve ever seen. He goes with us everywhere. You sleep with him. He eats with you. He goes on car rides with you. You get snot on him. He gives you hugs when you need them. You watch him on TV. He gets you through dinners when we eat at restaurants. You guys have a real connection.  I hope that you continue this sort of affection with the friends you gain at school and throughout your life. It shows me that you understand what loyalty is at such a young age. Elmo is your homie now, but whoever gets you as a friend later in life - they are truly the lucky ones and they will have that gross booger covered Elmo to thank. 

I love you so much, buddy. Sometimes I have more sympathy than most would with you because I know you want to talk to me clearly, SO badly.  Lately you are a little tongue tied with your words and that is very difficult for you. It is, however, very funny because Daddy and I know what you mean to say, but sometimes it’s like talking to a foreign exchange student. I am so excited and also a little scared for the day that you figure out how to open your mouth and pronounce words correctly. We will be in so much trouble when that day comes. 

Some other things I want to share with you before my memory fades away...

You may look innocent and cute, but you are also VERY into wrestling and rough housing lately. You pounced on me like a cat the other day, and while I was in shock and screaming "ouch" with laughter, your daddy said “Welcome to having a boy, honey.” You have so much passion with everything you do. Whether it’s singing a song or hugging me so hard that it turns into choking and pinching me, you put your full heart into everything you do. You even put passion into your food. We know if you love something because you will hum quite loudly as you eat it. And of course if you don’t like something you will gag, scream and say “NO!” very clearly too. Your main food groups are: Pancakes, waffles, chicken, fish, ritz crackers, apple sauce and cookies. And all of these can change depending on what mood you are in and hopefully someday you'll expand from being so picky. 

Did you know you have the most amazing big sister in the world? She love you so much! She's been your number one fan since day one. Sometimes you make her crazy because she doesn't remember what it was like to be a little guy with no way of communicating too clearly, but she also has an incredible amount of patience with you. She loves to give you hugs, sometimes a little too tight, but you also give that love back to her ten fold with your random hugs and kisses that surprise us. It amazes me how you can be enemies and the best of friends all in one day. She'll sing to you when you cry, she'll level with you when you're being unreasonable and she'll even take baths with you despite her better judgement. There's few things that make me so happy as seeing the two of you together, even the times when you make each other crazy. I hope you know that she will always have your back. She is one tough chick.

Can I tell you my favorite thing we do lately? When I put you to bed at night, you’ve been letting me rock you like a baby in my arms just like you used to when you were a newborn. It’s so special to me because I know you don’t like it, but somehow you understand

that I need it and allow it. It melts my heart to look down at you smiling at what a dork I am.  And once you’ve grown tired of the rocking you reach for your crib, and I swear I’ve never met a child who loves to crawl into their crib as much as you do.  Anyway, after you’ve gotten in your crib, I sit down by the side of it and you give me kisses through the railing of your crib and we giggle about it. I’ll whisper to you “I love you bubs” and you’ll say back to me “I wuv oo mama” and my heart explodes.  Someday it won’t be so cool to kiss me as much as I love to kiss you. I love this new little routine we’ve created. It makes me feel so special because most of the time you want Daddy at night. And while I get it, because Daddy is pretty great, I secretly wish that you would only want me forever and ever because that’s what crazy mamas want.

My wish for you as you turn two years old is very simple. I wish for you that you continue to live your life with such outright passion. I hope that you never stop expressing yourself, even if it seems impossible to get your point across. And may you always remember that Mama will always be there to give you big hugs and kisses – even when you become too cool for it someday - I’ll still be the weirdo who will give you a million kisses all over your face because your my bubs, buddy and little mister smiley always and forever!!!

Love,

Mama

P.S. Someday you'll find out about those videos we did each month of your sister's first year of life and also about her 1 year old photo shoot. Pay no attention to that. Someday if you have kids of your own you'll understand that once you have two kids lots of things get trickier to do!! I hope this heartfelt blog and collection of pics from the last 2 years somewhat makes up for that!! XOXOXO