Saturday, December 13, 2008

Contraption

We finally got a new stroller. Thanks to my friend LuAnn, we were brought to the knowledge of the Valco tri-mode twin stroller. It's a double jogger - BUT - it's the only thing we've found that is double wide with the option to seat three kids! The toddler seat is boosted out in front of the jogger, kind of like a pyramid. The first thing I said was that it looked ridiculous. I said I needed to see it with kids in it to see if it looked as bad as I imagined when it was full of children because I would think it would look like this tower of screaming babies barreling down the street at you. LuAnn's response: anything with three kids in it looks ridiculous. Point taken.

So, a few hundred dollars later, here's the trial run:







He threw a fit all through our building, through the park, and all the way to the playground. (Our neighbor later said, "That was you guys out there?? Dan kept asking who was murdering their child in the hallway.") He wanted to sit back where the babies were. I was afraid this would happen. We probably could switch and have one of the babies up there, but I really want him to know the stroller is for the babies - especially for times when I don't have the toddler seat with it. This was the other reason I didn't try the sit 'n stand varieties - he just loves to sit in the stroller and after reading reviews of people whose kids refused to stand on the platform, I knew that is exactly how Cash would be. I figured this one at least had a seat. And it sure drives like a dream.

Luckily by the end he was a little more sedated.



Better stay that way.

21 comments:

Tennille said...

Is it horrible that I had a laugh at your expense? Sorry. :) He looks worn out in that last picture. Hope he gets used to it.

Anonymous said...

Oh no! Poor Cash! That is an awesome stroller though!

Julie

Unknown said...

Wow! Oh boy, can life get harder at that age? Hopefully you have some better ideas, or Cash gets used to it. Fun.

Goeb Life said...

I LOVE that video!! You are so quick with your camera. I could match that video with some we have taken of Eva! :) Hope it gets better!

Anonymous said...

Jennie,
I'm so proud of you for seeing it through the tantrum. I hate it when parents get too embarrassed by the neighbors staring and give in to the tantrum and make everything worse. I always figure it's just like if you were driving on the freeway and one of the children decided he didn't want to sit in his car seat and started screaming. You don't just let him out.....I love the last picture. It's pretty cool to be out in front and get to see everything first! Hang tough. Love, Sharon

Anonymous said...

Some times I wish other people's woes and struggles didn't seem so hilarious!!! But that is definitely something you will laugh at in a few years.

liz said...

FREEDOM!

that's what I see when I look at the last photo, at least.


You can go anywhere now- maybe not the library (that's never goign to work for my boys for some reason- no one can keep quiet for 1 minute).

Ty and Trista Swartzlander said...

I can't stop laughing. Still laughing.

Heather said...

Sweet, mild-mannered Cash? Life is very traumatic when you are two. Love that you got a video of it.

Melanie said...

Oh I laughed so hard! I love your friends comment - anything with three kids looks ridiculous but add a screaming toddler. Gold. Glad he calmed down. Im sure after you stand firm he will accept his fate at the front of of the rollercoaster. Glad to hear it drives like a dream! That makes a stroller so much easier.

Gavin and Shawna said...

That is quite the stroller....perfect for your needs! Definitely worth the money!

The Spendloves said...

I have to agree with Tennille. Should I feel bad that I was laughing before I even started the video because the first frame showed that he was obviously NOT happy. Well, he'll get used to it...

And FREEDOM for you!!!

Jenilee said...

I hope that allows you so freedom outside. Good luck Jen.

LuAnn said...

Are you sure I said "ridiculous"? Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. How about..."exciting," uh "a load of fun"..."a barrel of monkies." Oh, am I digging myself deeper? I'm glad you like how it drives and I will pray each morning that Cash can be calm in the toddler seat.

Lima Bean said...

Gotta love a good tantrum. And the calm and innocent face that comes afterward.

Unknown said...

It is awesome to see you standing by with a video camera. Cash will just love that video when he is older and you can use it for proof of how he acted when he was younger. Hang in there! I think I still get dirty stares when I have all of my boys at the store, and yes, they still act up!

Anne Marie said...

That stroller looks amazing! I know you will get many hours of use with it. Good for you...sticking it out, tantrum and all!

Anonymous said...

I felt so sorry for Cash. After all he is the one that will get all the bug splats, the first water in the face, and the scares when you come upon something too fast...BUT, he is also the leader and can point left or right, and can be the first to see everything in your game of "I Spy." You can play follow the leader.

And of course he wants to sit BY his brothers, even if they encroach on his space and he has to hug his arms inside his section.

You just can't win.

xoxoGrammy

H. said...

I swear everytime I see the title of your post, I think it says "contraception". Then I look at the pictures of the 3 (happy!)kids in the stroller and I think it may as well.

Jen I said...

That is so funny, because I wrote the thing and I keep thinking it says "contraception" when I look on here too!

Kimi said...

I've watched that video like 20 times. I love it. I can't believe the force behind that tantrum, it amazes me. I also love the babies just sitting calmly in the background. Wish I could have seen the whole ordeal.

The videos just started working on our internet so I went and watched all the old videos. I can't believe the one of Cash reading. That kid is a genius.