New wheels

The addition of #2 to our family required the addition of a new stroller, too. With Liam being not quite 2 when Mallory arrived, and unable to walk more than a few blocks on his own, we knew we would need something that had a comfy ride for him for some time to come. I was dead-set against any sort of side-by-side model, since I already find a single stroller to be a tight fit in many indoor venues; I know they say side-by-sides fit through a standard doorframe, but many store aisles, etc. do not adopt that same minimum clearance. We also didn't like standard front-to-back models that are longer than I am tall; they seem difficult to manoeuvre for the time being, and awkward to handle when you really only need to be pushing 1 kid.

We first saw a Phil & Ted's E3 when we were at the zoo last summer. It seemed like a cool, compact little thing. We actually approached strangers to ask about the make and model of their stroller, and looked it up when we got home. The Children's Furniture Gallery in London was carrying them, so we made a trip up to the store to take a look and take a test drive. Even though I balked at dropping the cash on it, I am so glad now that we went with this model. It's no bigger than our single stroller. It drives so smoothly, and manoeuvres like a dream - I can push it single-handedly, even with both kids loaded in. For now, Liam sits up front and Mallory rides in the bassinette in the back. When she's a little older, the bassinette pushes up to form the main seat for Liam, and the seat Liam is in now mounts on the back of the stroller to form a second seat for Mallory - a change that can be accomplished on the fly in a matter of seconds. I like the fact that, with or without the extra seat removed, it becomes a compact little ride for 1 - perfect for those days when Liam decides to walk more than ride, or when he outgrows a stroller altogether.

The drawbacks? So far, only 1. On those days when Liam goes to Cindy's, and I take Mallory out alone, I like this stroller so much that I still use it, rather than reverting back to our single. And I get a lot of funny looks. Once I had a mildly alarmed bank teller tell me she thought I had forgotten someone somewhere. People don't even notice Mallory in the back - in an Emporer's New Clothes sort of way, they think I am pushing around a figment of my imagination.