So, after looking at a girlfriend's Valco (after all the great advice posted on here - thanks ladies!), I still got the coffee & chocolate BOB. The Valco was pretty skookum (extra points for using that word), but I wasn't about to ask my MIL to purchase it at the steep retail price and she was concerned that the warranty wouldn't be valid if I purchased the one I found on Craigslist. While a stroller of that high quality really shouldn't need the warranty anyway, I thought she had a valid point and wanted to respect that.
I checked out the BOB at the store and was almost instantly sold. How smooth it is! Granted, the weight of a carseat and a kid is not included, but boy is that thing easy to push around, which will be a bonus once I'm walking with the doggy. I LOVE the foot break and the tether, and it folds down super easily.
To match, I purchased the Graco Snug Ride Milan, a pattern that's neutral but stylie. BONUS: It was the only Snug Ride model on sale for $40 off today. Score! The two pieces look quite nice together. I also got the car seat adapter and the handlebar console, great for water bottles, keys, wallet and poop bags for Dora.
The only drawback to these purchases is that the BOB is not exactly compact, even when it's folded. That means it takes up the entire floorspace of our hatch (we have a Mazda 3), which is Dora's domain. And the carseat sure takes up a lot of room, too, forcing the passenger seat to be pulled way up near the dashboard. We bought this vehicle as our "family car," but obviously, it's not meant for that. Dora will be getting a car harness so she can sit behind me and keep an eye on the baby. ;) And once Wayne and I get to where we're going in terms of a posting at the end of the year, we'll have to reconsider our vehicular situation.
I am so happy to have this little mission accomplished. The big stuff is done: crib, change table, toy box, stroller, car seat. I am even repainting a bookshelf I got from the office for FREE, so that minimizes another cost. The next big thing to buy will be a glider - do you know anyone looking to sell theirs? It's a tough piece to come by second-hand. I mean, who would want to sell a chair that comfortable?!
Little tip on the car seat and having to push the passenger seat way up to the dashboard. Try placing the car seat in the middle back seat instead of behind the passenger seat. We initially placed ours on the side, and it's pretty much impossible for anyone to sit in the passenger front seat. I also heard somewhere that the middle seat in the back is the safest place for an infant. I guess it's further away from any side impact danger. However, not sure that solves the Dora problem! I often sit in the back next to Piper when Jer's driving, so there's room enough for me! Dora would hopefully fit, too.
ReplyDeleteWe had the same issue looking for a glider. I found several on Craigslist, but they weren't always the most attractive things. If you know someone who sews, though, maybe they could recover them for you. We lucked out; Jeremy's parents bought ours for us. It's one of those must-have baby items, in my opinion!
Great choices! Very stylie ;) I love the car seat pattern, one of my favs!
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