Philadelphia Moms

Maclaren Volo and That Recall Thing

As fate would have it, I was all set to post something about my Maclaren Volo yesterday when I started getting wind of a Maclaren recall.  In case you've been living under a rock for the last 24 hours, you can find information here and here and lots of other places.  The good news is the 1) there's an easy fix to the problem, 2) they'll send you a free repair kit and 3) statistically, the odds are very low that you'll experience a problem between now and the time you receive your kit.  The bad news is that if you're on the wrong side of the statistics, the problem is the possible amputation of your child's fingers.  So people: GET THE REPAIR KIT.

Anyway, what I was originally going to post about was my experience with the Maclaren Volo.  So let me get to that.  Over the summer, I experienced a period of significant back pain and given that I'm prone to some back pain, and that I also was/am pregnant (have I not mentioned that yet?), lugging my fairly heavy regular stroller up and down the many, many steps to my apartment no longer seemed like a good idea.  Reluctantly, I admitted I needed an umbrella stroller. 

There's nothing wrong with umbrella strollers, it's just that I'm pretty hard on strollers.  I use my stroller every day without fail on city streets.  Some streets with cobblestone pavers.  Those of us who live in the city know that we use our strollers very differently than other folks.  And umbrella strollers, generally speaking, are not exactly well known for standing up to wear and tear.  The last thing I wanted was to be in 12 blocks from home and lose a wheel.  So my husband and I went on the hunt for a quality  lightweight stroller. My two priority requirements is that it must be durable and very lightweight. A secondary requirement is that it folds up as not to take up additional space in my apartment.

We looked at a few options before deciding on the Maclaren Volo, their low-end model (also their lightest-weight model).  On one hand, it's ridiculous to spend that much money on what's essentially an umbrella stroller.  On the other, Maclaren is known for making very durable strollers, which was exactly what I wanted.   It's just a little over eight pounds, folds easily and has a strap for carrying.  It fit the bill and I've been using it ever since. 

There was definitely an adjustment period.  My regular stoller glides over pavements, rarely hits a bump it can't handle, has shock absorbers, practically drives itself.  The Volo....well, not so much.  It's obviously well-made, but the reality is that the small wheels (that really seem to be featured on all Maclarens) aren't going to take bumps and un-even pavement well.  Had it not been for the 5 point harness, I definitely would have inadvertently dumped my son out of the stroller when hitting one of those bumps.  Eventually, I learned that I needed to do a little "pop-a-wheelie" before encountering a bump or curb.  No big deal.

The Volo does have a canopy for shade and a basket underneath but other than that, it's pretty bare bones.  It doesn't recline, doesn't have a cup-holder or a tray, and the basket isn't incredibly large.  Then again, if you're looking for those things, you're probably not in the market for an umbrella stroller. 

The one thing I would do differently is the color.  I opted for the lime green, not realizing that once the stroller is folded, the wheels would be smack up against the canopy.  The wheels that are usually filthy from Lord-only-know-what street muck.  Consequently, the canopy is always filthy and generally speaking, I don't enjoy having a filthy stroller.  Of course, I clean it, but this would need to be cleaned daily which is a little more upkeep than I was hoping for.  So take my advice, get the one with the brown canopy.   And by all means, get that repair kit.

 

I should mention that this is not really a review, and certainly not a paid review.  I am in no contact with Maclaren and this stroller was purchased with my own funds.  It is posted here strictly as a commentary on a stroller that may meet the needs of other city-dwelling parents. 

Duross and Langel

When my son was born, I swore I would not be one of those people who stopped taking care of myself on maternity leave.  Yes, having a newborn is exhausting, but surely one can find time to shower, no?  And I patted myself on the back that every day on my leave, I managed to shower, get dressed AND put on make-up.  Hell, I was even doing my nails and getting my hair cut somewhat regularly.

For me, the wheels came off the bus gradually and hit a climax when my son was somewhere between 15 and 18 months old.  Oh, I still showered every day and got dressed (going to work sort of requires that), but I began to realize that a lot of other things dropped off.  I wasn't doing my nails anymore.  Making appointments for my hair stylist seemed too time-consuming.  Any sort of skin regiment had gone out the window. I hadn't exercised in any capacity.  I put on some weight. I didn't feel like going clothes shopping, even when I really needed pants that fit better.  It all just seemed like too much effort.

And maybe it was.  But that I wasn't doing all those things bothered me just the same.  All those things equated "taking care of me", which you know, is still important, even when you're taking care of a little person or people.  You can lose yourself in motherhood a little bit (or a lot bit) and if that bothers you, you should take time for yourself now and again. Slowly, I've been trying to reintroduce certain "me" things back into my lifestyle. 

So, for a pick-me-up, Duross and Langel, at 117 S. 13th Street, is the perfect place. With a host of soaps, facial scrubs and other bath goods, Duross and Langel is sure to have something to perk your spirits up. The owners make most of the products themselves and you can read about their views on "natural" products here. 

And just in case you're feeling guilty for getting something for yourself, they usually have an assortment of bath toys and baby bath products.  The store layout is even wide enough to be considered stroller-friendly.

To Leash or Not to Leash

There is a laundry list of things I said I would "never" do when I had kids.  About half of those went right out the window once I had my son.  They say ignorance is bliss and man, is it ever easy to criticize what parents do when you don't have any children of your own. 

A few weeks back, I hurt my back and traded in my usual stroller for a lightweight, umbrella-style one (more on that stroller in another post).  As you all know, I live in the city.  Specifically, I live in a third-floor condo on a fairly busy street near an intersection.  Lugging my usual stroller up and down stairs, with a toddler in it was not ideal.  And then the back problems.  So I decided the umbrella stroller was the way to go, at least for now. 

The drawback to that umbrella stroller is that because the front steps to my building are somewhat steep, but the steps aren't necessarily deep, it makes pushing my son up or down the steps while in the stroller impossible.  That's not necessarily an issue because my son is pretty good at going up and down the steps when holding my hand and the railing.  What it does mean is that he has to get in to and out of the stroller when at the bottom of the steps.  There's about ten feet of sidewalk separating the front steps from the street.  You know, the street with all the moving traffic in it.

So, all this to get to my point.  Which is that my toddler, it would seem, has no fear of running into the street.  What's more, he has perfected the art of dropping his body weight suddenly and snatching his hand out of mine.  He's wiley, that one.  He, like many kids his age, wants to be independent and sometimes just doesn't want to hold your hand.  Yes, I have a death grip on his hand most of the time, but between his efforts to break free and my other hand being full of a stroller, lunch bag and whatever other nonsense I've got going on, that death grip isn't always 100% reliable.

So....I've been thinking.  About a leash.  Or, um, child harness.  Which has to be one of the top five things I would NEVER do when I had a kid. 

I know, kid leashes are wildly unpopular.  And I see them used in settings that don't make sense to me.  I hate, hate, hate the thought of them.  But you know what?  I hate the idea of a critically injured kid a lot more.  That ten feet of pavement between the front steps and the streets isn't really enough of a buffer for my piece of mind.  I'm beginning to realize that in my case, this might be a life and death decision.  Oh, I know that sounds overly-dramatic.  But, it would take just about one second for my son to break away and be in the street.  Actually, the only reason I still use the stroller every day is not that my son can't walk the two blocks from our house to his preschool.  He can and would love to.  It's that he doesn't reliably hold my hand for the duration of the walk.  Some days he does.  Some days, not so much.

While I talk to him (sternly!) about the dangers of the street, and while I tell him he's got to hold my hand at all times, the reality is that he's not yet two years old and he's not going to comprehend the consequences.  These darn toddlers, they are just not reliable! 

So, I'm thinking about it....what about you other parents out there?  Anyone use a child harness, particularly if you're walking on a busy street every day?

In other news, we're all sorts of off schedule this month, having been celebrating our nation's birth and all, so Main Line Mama's post will be featured this Friday.

eBeanstalk

You may have noticed a link to eBeanstalk on the sidebar under "Places Much Cooler Than Here."  We're a partner here at Philadelphia Moms with eBeanstalk, because it's wonderful resource for parents who are looking for educational, age-appropriate toys.  It's one-stop shopping for toys and baby/child products.  They also provide great advice from child specialists.  Which is fantastic, because I need all the help I can get.

Storage Bins for Apartment Folks

Not long after my son was born, I started noticing an alarming trend.  It seemed that his baby toys were multiplying.  Just before his first birthday, I realized the occasion would no doubt yield a new onslaught of toys from generous family and friends.  With toys already threatening a hostile takeover of my apartment, I realized some serious toy storage was in order.

Enter the Land of Nod Storage-Palooza.  I opted for two of the single Storage-Paloozas, since they are stackable and floor space is at a premium, but they do have larger bins with two or three openings.  Even the single bins are wider and deeper than you might think.  They hold a TON of toys.  Best of all, my now very mobile son can search through them himself to find the toy he's looking for. 

The Storage-Paloozas are made entirely of wood, have no particle-board (can I get an Amen?) and come in a variety of great colors.  We opted for one in navy and the other in tomato (which is a deeper red than what appears to be online). Best of all, since they don't scream "kid's toy chest" they can be used other places in the house down the road.

My husband had no problem putting the bins together, however, in his opinion, he felt the decorative molding strip at the base of the openings didn't secure as tightly as he would have liked.  I took a closer look at this and you can slightly wiggle the molding, but I don't think it's something that our son could manage to pull off or break in any way.

In the interest of full disclosure, I had originally order a previous version of these bins that came with a distressed finish (no longer available).  Only one of the bins I received looked more like a bin with chipped paint than a purposeful distressed finish. I worked with Land of Nod's customer service representatives and they went out of their way to rectify the situation. 

All in all, these bins are holding all the toys and games we've accumulated and I think they're a good solution for families who are tight on space.  Plus, they're cute enough that I don't mind that one is currently sitting in my living room.

Mighty Buggy Hook

I'm always on the hunt for a good stroller accessory and for awhile I've been searching for stroller hooks.  I know, I know, hooking bags to your stroller is a tip-hazard, but I like to live on the edge. 

Anyway, months ago, I got these, but my stroller's handles aren't circular and they didn't really fit.  I used them anyway though and because they fell off every time I folded my stroller, I lost both (they came as a two-pack) within 2 months.  So then I started hooking my son's lunch bag on the stroller's brake (which is located on the handle), but I'm fairly certain that putting strain on the brake is not a great idea.  In fact, there may have been something in the owner's manual about that.

So when the lovely folks at Think King sent me their new Mighty Buggy Hooks, I was excited.  After all I already use their Soft Buggy Cup.  I could tell right away that the Mighty Buggy Hook was going to work beautifully because instead of being made of hard plastic, it's a velcro strap that you can customize to your stroller.  And securely fastened to that strap is solid hook.  Like the Softy Buggy Cup, the velcro on the Mighty Buggy Hook is strong and gives you the freedom to use the hook in different places, depending on your needs. 

The bonus is that the inventor of the Mighty Buggy Cup is an inventor-mom, not a huge corporation.  I love being able to support people who come up with great ideas (read: things that make my life easier).

Diaper Bags for City Girls

I'm the kind of girl who is endlessly searching for the perfect purse, the perfect "work" bag and the perfect wallet.  So it comes as no surprise that over the last year and a half I've collected more than my fair share of diaper bags. 

While pregnant I had wanted and received the very lovely Vera Bradley diaper bag.   It's lightweight and roomy.  You can fit a bunch of diapers, wipes, a couple of bottles, some toys and a change of clothes in there. But I found that it was a little too big when trekking around the city and the straps always fell off my shoulders when trying to navigate the stroller through doorways, etc.(I should mention that the Vera Bradley messenger bag is a good alternative if you're a VB fan)   For me, the diaper bag was best used when I was getting in the car and traveling to another destination, like a friend's house for the day. 

My criteria is that a bag should be 1) lightweight; 2) versatile; 3) deep enough to carry bottles or file folders; 4) attractive.  So I went in search of another diaper bag and wound up with several:

Skip Hop Dash--this is my usual "weekend" bag.  My husband and I can both use it (note to readers: men seem to find carrying the Vera Bradley bag less desirable.  I can't imagine why) and it can be worn either messenger-style or strapped directly to the stroller.  It's sometimes a little too small for an all day outing, especially if you're packing changes of clothes.  But for walking around the city, it's great.  Lots of interior compartments, one with a zipper so you can throw your wallet or feminine unmentionables in there. 

Petunia Pickle Bottom Touring Tote--I got this bag because I wanted something versatile; something that I could wear messenger-style but that was nice enough to bring to work.  In other words, something that didn't look like a diaper bag, but could do double-duty.  Hands down, I think PPB makes the nicest-looking diaper bags around.  The material is beautiful and I got more compliments on this bag than any other purse I own.  No one, except for those mom who were in-the-know, even realized it was a diaper bag.  The touring tote is nice because it's small, but sadly, it's a tad too small for me.  It's crescent shape is aesthetically pleasing but not deep enough in the middle to carry files to and from work.  But it has room for two bottles, a compartment for wipes and changing pad.   It also can strap directly to the stroller which is a nice feature.  I wish it had "feet" on the bottom, because while the exterior fabric is gorgeous, it's also absorbent.  Actually the interior fabric is absorbent too and I sort of wish that it was a coated material for when those bottles accidentally spill.  Who wants to deal with a stained diaper bag (especially one that has to be dry-cleaned)?  So it might not be the most practical bag, but it's great to have if you're going to a party where you're dressed up a bit.  Despite them not being "perfect", I love these bags still, and I'm tinkering with the idea of getting the backpack version, which wouldn't solve every issue, but it is larger.

Fleurville Sling Tote--Actually, I don't own this bag.  But I have seen it in person, fondled it, seriously thought about purchasing it.  It comes in fun patterns, can be "worn" three ways (including attached to the stroller) and has like a gazillion pockets.  But it's...plastic.  Like pleather, sort of.  I know I just complained that the PPB bags stain too easily, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy a bag that is...shiny.  But it is PVC-free and if a plastic diaper bag doesn't bother you, then go for it.

Harveys Seatbelt Messenger Bag--Okay, this isn't a diaper bag (although they do have a diaper bag).  But it's roomy, stylish, you can dress it up or down.  It's great for work, plenty of room for baby-related stuff.  It is heavier than I would like, but that's it's only real drawback.  Throw a diaper caddy in there and you're all set.  It's my current work bag and as close to perfection as I've found. 

But the search continues...

An Alternative to Little People

I've been making a mental list of toys for my son for Christmas (a list only because I haven't had the courage to brave the stores this holiday shopping season yet) and my quest for greener, less plasticky, less made-in-China-y toys continues.  I'm always willing to make a few exceptions, provided they are generally "safe" toys. 

My son has taken a liking to Fisher Price's Little People, which I find endearing as I have find memories of playing with Little People as a kid myself.  So I planned on getting some version of some Little People toy for him for Christmas, and yet.  Yet, I feel funny about it, because although it would be nice to give him Little People for sentimental reasons, Fisher Price has had about a bzillion recalls (see here for an example). 

Then recently, while on the hunt for another child's birthday present, I stumbled upon some WOW Toys.  I didn't know anything about them, but they seemed cute and fun, but they are plastic so I vowed to do some research on the company when I got home. 

And then I forgot about it.  Until, that is, I checked out Z Recommends review of WOW Toys.  As usual, ZRecs does a great job of providing detailed information--according to their research, WOW Toys are PVC free and "As a company, WOW Toys appears to be materials-conscious, proactive on testing procedures, and inspired to deliver great design through self-imposed constraints."  Plus ZRecs does a fairly comprehensive side-by-side comparison between Little People and Wow Toys.

At any rate, when I FINALLY do head out for some Christmas shopping, I'm going to take a closer look at the WOW Toys.  Maybe baby doesn't need Little People after all.

P'kolino

Living in an apartment, I'm always looking for the "smaller" versions of things.  I've been on the hunt for a chair for my little man, since he likes to sit and "read" his books.  However, I couldn't picture any of the overstuffed, albeit very cute, armchairs from Pottery Barn Kids or Land of Nod fitting in my living room.

Enter the P'kolino little reader.  At only 18" wide, it's perfect for streamlined apartments and condos in the city.  Plus, it's available at the Babies R Us in Exton and Cherry Hill, as well as the BuyBuyBaby in Cherry Hill.

As an aside, how cute is their toddler bed?  Methinks this will be great for grandma and grandpa's house!

PSA: Carter's Tagless Clothes

Many of you may have already heard about the skin irritation that Carter's tagless clothing has caused on some children, but I thought I'd post it here too just in case.

My son did have some skin irritation on the lower back part of his neck for months last winter and spring.  His rash wasn't nearly as bad as some photos I've seen as part of this story, which almost look like burns, and I had attributed my son's rash to his ezcema.  Which maybe it was.  At the time, it never occurred to me that it could be his clothing. 

Currently there's some debate about whether Carter's tagless clothing is still a problem or if the problem existed only with their Fall 2007 line.