We had our ultrasound yesterday. So fun to see Baby P #2 kicking around in there. Actually, he/she (no, we didn’t find out) did a whole lot of transverse lying and relaxing, legs crossed, sucking a thumb. This explains why I’ve been feeling so W I D E this pregnancy! We couldn’t get him/her to budge from that spot. But we got some cute pictures, anyway (which I’m too lazy to scan in right now).
Anja did pretty well at first, but since my placenta is anterior (in the front), it took a little longer to get clear shots of the baby, and she grew impatient. Daddy would say, “Look at the baby on the TV!” and she would grab his face with both hands and say, “No! Look at Anja!” Hope this isn’t a preview of things to come…
Speaking of Baby #2, does anyone have any good recommendations for a double stroller? Brands, types (side-by-side or tandem, jogger or non)? I’m in the market. 🙂
I got an hour and a half to myself this morning (Anja was at half-day daycare today since they were closed on Monday). I read a book. I’ve really been enjoying Bryson’s stuff this summer (this is the third I’ve read; also these two), even though he occasionally branches into the bizarre or lewd. His descriptions of Midwesterners in The Lost Continent made me howl with laughter because they are so accurate.
We’re enjoying rather mild weather, and I’m loving it. I had sunshine for all three of my photo shoots this past weekend, which was an amazing blessing. It’s supposed to rain this weekend, but hopefully we won’t be rained out of senior pictures.
I’ve been contacted twice by a lady nicely asking me to link to this website and inform you about this buying local initiative. I haven’t had a chance to read through it all, so hopefully it’s something I agree with! Here’s an article that tells more about it. And I happen to know a fantastic little photography business you can support if you’re wanting some treasures to put on your walls or in a keepsake album! 😉
Oh, and it’s 09/09/09. I just HAD to post today.
Minnesota Mom 
Congrats on seeing your little sweetie!
I have always used Graco double strollers, single-file-style. The wider strollers are harder to maneuver. Sometimes, they don’t even fit through narrower doorways.
There is also the style with the little toddler seat in the back. My SIL uses this type and likes it a lot.
You also have the option of keeping your current stroller (assuming you have one) and wearing the new baby in a sling or carrier, or having Anja walk. It’s so hard at her age, though.
Beatrix and Archie are 28 months apart, which is about the same spacing you’ll have, right? Beatrix still needed to ride in a stroller sometimes when Archie was a newborn, mostly because if we were out for longer periods of time, she’d get tired. It was good having a place for her to crash if she needed to.
I absolutely LOVE ultrasounds. So glad you got to see your cute little toot knocker.
And so fun to run into you last weekend! 🙂
I have a Graco double stroller (the in a row kind). I don’t love it. With weight in it, it’s still kind of hard to turn and stuff. I think the more expensive ones are worth the money…but I can’t really say which ones. I just know friends that have lighter weight ones that were more expensive and they claim it’s WORTH it. Sorry I’m not more helpful!
Sonograms are wonderful! Don’t you just love technology? Glad to hear your littlest one is doing well. Anja’s comment was cute. Forget about the blob on the screen, I’m right here! So very that age. 🙂
M recently found a sonogram photo of herself, and once I explained who it was and when it was taken, she thinks it’s the greatest image ever. At least at 2, egotism is still socially acceptable.
Yea for ultrasounds! Were they 3D? I never had one of those but the pictures are so neat.
I had a tandem (font to back) Eddie Bauer stroller and while gorgeous, was like pushing a bus. Didn’t turn worth a darn and rarely made it through a clothing store.
I have always pumped up the older sibling on how awesome it is to Be the older sibling. I found that getting them into the Big Kid place made them tolerate the babies attention getting much easier in those first few months of being upstaged.
Back to the stroller though, I found the only time I used the double was when X was with me… we could have had 2 strollers and been much happier, lol. My son and daughter are 2 years apart. He wanted to walk anyway so I wound up pushing a half empty bus, lol.
Blessings,
Carolynn
I actually have a Joovy Sit-and-Stand stroller and I LOVE it! It’s compatible with most car seats. Tottie sits in front and Nutty stands or sits in the back. Nutty likes it because she can get in and out whenever she wants (I like that too!). It folds up smaller than most double strollers too.
Glad your ultrasound went well! I don’t think Anja’s behavior is a predictor. I think she’ll love the baby when it becomes “real” to her and not just pictures on a screen. Let’s just hope that she doesn’t love the baby as much as Nutty loves Tottie–sometimes Nutty goes a little crazy with the love 🙂
Ultrasounds were some of the most fun moments I had being pregnant. Getting a peek into their little world in there, watching them spin and twirl and move around, especially when they were too small for me to feel those movements. Awesome!
My double stroller is the BabyTrend Sit-N-Stand LX. LOVE it! Folds well, not too heavy, accomodated the Graco infant seat fine and gives so many more options for them as they grew than just one where they both sit.
So glad you got to see your little one! I think Anya will love her new sibling, once she can touch him/her. 🙂
Speaking of describing Midwesterners, yesterday my boss said she’d “heard something about people from Minnesota” and is going to watch/wait to see if I confirm it (but won’t tell me what it is!). Wha?? I don’t think it has to do with accent, but she’s got me curious now!
There’s a great Q&A on double strollers at Baby Cheapskate- lots of comments so you can find people who have the same situation as you (i.e. how you will be using the stroller) and get their advice.
http://babycheapskate.blogspot.com/2009/03/q-double-strollers-tandem-or-in-line.html
I’m a little late for this posting, but I also had the Graco double stroller – it’s single file, and the carseat snapped in it, too. I didn’t love it as much as my Graco single – the basket was so much harder to access in the double, and things had to be smaller to even get in the basket. However, I loved pushing my little guys in it – we walked around the park, the mall and the neighborhood with it. My husband couldn’t run errands with me and this was really the only way I could manage two on my own. We debated about the side-to-side doubles, but they’re very difficult to get into doorways and down store aisles with. It depends on what kind of errands you need to run with the kids and if hubby can come along. I think the joggers push more easily (but are more difficult to turn), but I wasn’t about to buy two strollers. I’m actually a little sad right now about my wonderful strollers, they’re sitting in wait for a consignment sale tomorrow for another family. I miss the stroller days! (it was so nice to carry all my stuff – and people think kids in strollers are cute – the bratty 5-8 year olds, not so cute). Have fun shopping!
I’m a little late too, but we had a two year, nine month gap and then a two year , four month gap (and then a four year, but that doesn’t really count for this) and I never wanted a double stroller. Our kids always walked–they did not enjoy being contained in a stroller after they were 26 months or so.
I LOVED the Graco Travel system. Plop the baby car seat in, the older kids just held the sides and we walked together. We were really strict about how they had to behave in a parking lot and in a store, and they did great. I thought a double stroller would just be so huge to handle and move around. Maybe the kind where the toddler could stand at the back would have worked for us but we didn’t try that.
Good luck!