“I want a diaper bag that doesn’t really ‘look like a diaper bag. Something hip!’” is a comment we often hear. Look like a diaper bag…Hmmm. What does a diaper bag look like? Two images immediately pop into my mind– one of the free black Similac diaper bag that I was given at the hospital after the birth of my second child, and the second image is the Enfamil bag that the hospital gave me after the birth of my first.

Why do they appear in my mind in reverse order? The answer is quite simple – the style of the times. Even a free giveaway can attempt to have style. The second diaper bag I received was a simple black square. It was poorly made from inexpensive vinyl, but, I could see how it could serve its purpose of toting a few diapers, a onesie, burpcloth and perhaps a sippy cup down the road (if it lasted that long). The first diaper bag was a whole other story. It was blue and yellow with, I think, little bunnies or chicks or something running across it. This was definitely not the diaper bag that I was looking for and definitely not “hip!” (more…)

So doing stroller consultations and advising customers, I often get asked about tandem strollers that would work in narrow urban environments, hold two kids comfortably and still push nicely unlike some popular brands we’ve all heard of. . . .

Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that there are definitely a few great tandem double strollers on the market now, that don’t push like a bus, so you don’t have to worry about that! Not only that, but many have larger wheels and air tires that you will like for going over urban bumps and curbs, tree roots, gravel and other urban hazard you encounter routinely on the way to the playground. What’s the bad news? Well, most people find none of these all-terrain tandem doubles are “perfect,” so it’s a question of knowing what trade-offs you are willing to make. (more…)