Check out D's sweet new wheels

So we did it. I plunked down $400 on a new stroller. And I'm actually really happy with it.

I took D down to REI so we could check the BOBs out one last time. We're loyal to REI b/c Zach is a member and thus gets a rebate at the end of the year on what we spend there (I think it's about 10%) and they also have always had great customer service and return policies. And when I called this morning, it turned out they did in fact have the color I wanted (wasn't on display when I looked last night, and the one gal I'd asked-- the one that marks your returns when you come in-- hadn't known of the other colors). After I paid, the guy took the stroller out of the box and set it all up for me (including making sure the alignment of the front wheel was really straight when in the fixed position) so I could then literally just stick D in it and roll on out to the car. Awesome.

We went on a walk around the block later in the afternoon, and I have to say I'm falling in love with this stroller. Everything about it just feels so SOLID. I love the foot brake, the handlebar is tall enough to be comfortable for Zach, it's so incredibly easy to push (hardly felt like I was pushing anything-- I was pleasantly surprised to find that it's quoted as only weighing 23lbs, a lot of others I looked at were more like 30lb), and it handles bumps sooo nicely. I even got a big kick out of how ridiculously easy it was to tighten down the harness straps to fit D properly (seems silly, but not so much if you've dealt with other more-difficult and labor-intensive straps before). The hood has pretty good coverage, and a nice big window on the top for looking down at him. It's not that bad folded down size-wise (it fits in the back of our Fit, though takes up most of the cargo space), and I LOVE that the wheels pop off so easily-- that will certainly make packing it for Tahoe a lot easier. Sure, the underbasket could be bigger, but what are ya gonna do? It's still a respectable size.

So this makes it official that we will now be retiring our other "big" stroller (its brakes have gotten kinda iffy anyway-- only 1 wheel locks now... and the back tires are worn down to bare bones) and using the BOB instead for walking around the neighborhood, to the market, etc. Which means I can continue to keep the Maclaren in the car for errands, and not need to take it out at home for other stuff.

Squeee! =)