The Perfect Stroller- Kolcraft Contours Options LT

When my first child was born I got a jogging stroller and used it for jogging and nothing else. I didn't even own an umbrella stroller. Instead I just wore my baby everywhere. I would see parents at library story time or at the farmers market pushing heavy cumbersome looking strollers and I admit it I scoffed. My baby wearing seemed so much more effective..so much more efficient. My daughter had been walking 2 months when I started seeing the potential appeal of a stroller. I remember the exact day...I took her into a bathroom stall with me, sat down to do my business and stared mouth agape as she slide happily under the stall divider and ran merrily toward the door. We got an umbrella stroller the next day.

Still I didn't really 'get into' strollers. When my second child was born I simply wore them both- my oldest in the Ergo and my little one in a sling. And when the little one was a bit older I switched to wearing her in an Ergo on my front and my oldest in a backpack. Still this utopia in which I did not have to fold and unfold a huge stroller was too good to last.

My youngest started walking and became a vicious hair puller and my oldest, always a 'spirited child', became very excited by running off and hiding from me at every opportunity. Needless to say, I started looking for a stroller and almost immediately, I fell in love with the Baby Jogger City Select Double. The price tag $400, not too bad I though..."oh, no"...the salesman explained with a big grin...you have to buy everything separately-the second seat $100, the car seat adapted $100, the glider board $100, the rain cover $100.....You get the picture. And while I maybe able to rationalize the purchase of a $400 stroller there was no way that I was buying a $1000 stroller. Enter the Kolcraft Contour Options LT- basically the exact same stroller as the City Select at a much lower price point- $270.

Review of the Kolcraft Contours Options LT

1. Does the stroller come with a second seat?
Yes! and what is even cooler is that it folds wit the second seat attached. On the City Select you have to pop  off the second seat to fold it.

2. Is it easy to fold?
Yes, all you have to do is pull up on the release while stepping on the emergency brake and it folds right up. In addition it can stand when folded which is great if you have to move some stuff around in your car before you can throw it in.

3. How much does it weight?
33 lbs with both seats on which is really good for a double (my kid weighs more) but it would be awkward to carry too far.

4. Can it fit in my car?
We have a van and a Honda fit and we have had no problems but I haven't tested it in any other cars. It is not too wide but it does have some height so I am not sure if it would fit in the trunk of a sedan. You can check the dimensions on the Kolcraft website and measure your trunk.

5. Can I attach an infant car seat?
Yes, one comes with the stroller but you can attach two you just have to buy the second car seat adapter.



6. Is it made well?
It seems to be really well made. The recline feature is different than the City Select in that it has levels while the City Select has the pull cord that lets you customize the recline. The sunshades are also a little smaller than the City Select- still tall but not as wide.

7. How is it to maneuver?
It is incredible. I can't tell the difference between this and the City Select at all.

Here are some pictures of mine with the seats in different positions. I love that it has a narrow profile and isn't too long. And I love love love that it is modular.

On a trip to the store yesterday, my kids initially wanted to face each other which was cute until my big one started kicking my little one. I then turned the little one's seat forward (with her in it) which seemed to solve the problem momentarily....then scream scream...the big one was kicking the back of the little one's seat. I then turned the big one's seat to face me... permanently resolving the kicking crisis.

Anyway if you are thinking about getting this stroller and have any questions I'd be happy to tell you about my experience. No one paid me or gave me anything to gush about this stroller. I truly am just really happy with my purchase. Here are some picture of the stroller with the seats in different positions.  

It reminds me of a Transformer- I call mine Bumble Bee. 

Best Gear for Plane Travel with Babies and Toddlers

Our extended family lives across the country from us so we do a lot of plane travel with our two little ones (1 and 2 1/2). Travel is unpredictable. Toddlers are unpredictable. Put them together and you have a very combustible combination. Between the load of gear, the screaming, the running away in the security line and the on-plane crying jags even the most even tempered parent can feel a bit like a homicidal axe murderer by the end of a flight. In this post, I am going to recommend some of the gear that has really made plane travel with our baby and toddler much less stressful. *I'll do a follow up post specifically on things that have helped us survive in-flight.

Awesome Gear:

1. Brica travel booster- $25 Amazon
This great booster works well for any kid that can sit up independently but is too short to eat at the standard table. The best thing about this booster is that it folds completely flat which means you can stick it in your luggage (even your carry-on luggage) with no problem. My husband and I credit this little beauty with making it possible for us to get sustenance on our trips (have you tried to eat while holding a baby?-I don't recommend it!). And we don't use it just on trips- we throw it in the car or diaper bag (yes it is that compact) so we are always ready for situations where we need a booster. 

2. Kelty TC 2.0 Child Carrier- $150
Wearing you kid in through the airport is the only way to go. The Kelty TC not only carries your child but it carries all their stuff. When we fly my husband carries our oldest in this and we take it on the plane as our carry-on. Now I am a baby-wearer who loves my Ergo totally and completely...but...there is not a lot of storage in an Ergo. There is however, a ton of storage in the TC- you can fit loveys, sippy cups and diapers galore. It has an adjustable lumbar panel so it fits me at 5'6" and my husband at 6'5" with no problem. It also it has a couple pockets on the carrying belt where you can put your ID and plane ticket.

We also use this all the time on the Bart- way easier than lugging a stroller or carrying an additional diaper bag. It is a bit pricey but not crazy expensive. Look out for sales we got our on Zulily for $60. Also, their is a sun/rain canopy that you can buy separately that fits on the TC beautifully. It is great for that stage where your baby keeps taking off their hat...

3. KidCo Pea Pod Travel Bed- $89
Ok, this seems like it is constantly sold out on Amazon, why?...because it rocks. Anyone who has dragged around a "portable" pack n' play will throw up their hands in a hallelujah when they get their paws on this. It weights less than five pounds and fits..yes...in our carry-on. We have two; a pea pod with a self inflating mattress and a pea pod plus with a mattress that inflates with a small pump which is included. We have used these SO MUCH and what is more our kids love them. We have used them everywhere..on camping trips, at friend's houses etc... No more worrying about where your baby is going to sleep when you get to your destination. We love them!

4. Traveling Toddler Car Seat Accessory- $13 Amazon
This has made getting through the airport a breeze. We just strap our car seat to our carry-ons, put our youngest in the Ergo + the oldest in the Kelty and off we go...zip..zip. When we get to the gate we pop the strap off, throw our gate check bag on or take the car seat on the plane with us. As a bonus you can actually strap your kid into the car seat and they can ride. This would be a great option for families with 3 or 4 kids or when you are traveling alone with two small children.

5. Kidco Go-Pod- $48 Amazon
This is basically an excersaucer that folds small enough to fit in most standard luggage. It has a lot of straps to add toys to and you can change the toys out once your baby gets tired of them. We use it for travel but we also use it for the playground where I often have to stick my baby in it and run off to save my toddler from imminent disaster after imminent disaster.

Cheap and Fast Tutorial I- Rainbow Dance Hoop

Sometimes it is the simplest things that make our kids the happiest. My daughter got to use a rainbow dance hoop at her mommy and me movement class and lovvvved it!
So of course, I quickly put a couple together for Sunday night dance party. I made three for $8 bucks with supplies from the dollar store (ribbon + small wreath) and about 15 minutes of construction time. My kids love them. Yesterday, I even walked in on my husband doing a little interpretive rainbow dance piece.

Cheap, Fast...and most importantly Super Fun!

Score: Mom-1, Toddler-144

Recently my toddler has gone on bath strike. It has been horrible...getting her into a bath has literally been like trying to force an unwilling cat into a carrier. I have been reading a bunch of parenting books trying to figure out what to do and my husband has been taking her swimming to get the stink off...
Then I had an idea. My toddler loves to paint so I filled up a muffin tin with cheap shaving cream ,added some food coloring and handed her a brush. Ta-da! I win for once!!!!

The Blacksmith

I am so excited! My seriously awesome husband got me a Blacksmithing class for Christmas and it starts this Thursday. I have always been fascinated by metal work and I am really looking forward to pounding on some hot iron!
In related news, I actually got an opportunity to go out this weekend alone (blissful) and I wandered into this little thrift shop I have been meaning to checkout and found this.....


Isn't he awesome.. He's called The Welder. I had to have him and the price was right so of course he came home with me.

I love art especially unusual portraits. I've never seen anything like him. I think I am going to hang a copy of Longfellow's The Village Blacksmith beside him. That poem is so beautiful..

Under a spreading chestnut tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands...

City Home Tutorial I- The Doorway Playhouse

I really like offering my kid's the opportunity for as much imaginative play as possible but like many city homes our is small and space is at a premium. In our house we don't really have much floor room for a play house or tent but we do have doorways! Enter the awesome doorway playhouse. Now I think Hearthsong offers something like this for $60 bucks and I know that the Land of Nod has a puppet theater they offer for $40 bucks but you can do it yourself for much less-trust me it is easy. All you need is beginning sewing skills or some good fabric glue.

Depending on the complexity of your design making one of these can take anywhere from a couple hours to a couple nights-definitely doable as a week before Christmas present. The best part is it is completely customizable to you child. For example, my oldest daughter is really into princesses (cringe, I know) so I was able to whip up this awesome doorway castle for her in an evening. She was super thrilled and has been playing in "her castle" ever since. Let me tell you with these doorway playhouses you will get serious play for the buck.

Doorway castle with castle gate that can be pulled down  so your little king or queen can cross their imaginary moat.

Townhouse Tutorial

My inspiration, a great 19th century townhome I use to live in. 

Let's talk supplies. 

1. You will need 1 or 2 pieces of fabric measuring about 25 x 59. 

Sources: Joann Fabric sells their outdoor fabric in the bargain bin in the late winter/early spring (I got 8 yards of the fabric I am using for this project for $8 bucks). Outdoor fabric is great because it is a good weight, doesn't attract pet hair and is really easy to spot clean. That said, I have also used inexpensive felt and cheap sheets/blankets/tablecloths that I have picked up at the thrift store. Tip: Walmart Mainstay twin sheets work well for this ($5 bucks each)--you'll need two.

2. You will a 31 x 13 piece of fabric or longer for the door (this is based on the height of your child but I recommend making the doorway at least 30 inches so they can use it longer). 

3. You will need some scrap fabric for details. Again thriftstore pillowcases/sheets/blankets or tableclothes are great Or you could pick out some nice coordinating fabric from your local fabric store.

4. You will need some ribbon for door ties(see pic below). Also, in this project I used ribbon to create the window trim- I used 3 rolls (9 yds) which I picked up for a buck each at Walmart Tip: You can also get ribbon for a buck at most Dollar Tree stores.  

5. Thread or fabric glue- either works perfectly well and is washable. Tip: If you use fabric glue I always let the project sit for 48 hours before I hand it over to my kids.  

6. A tension rod (18" to 28"). Walmart, Home Depot or any local hardware store should have these. 

The How To: 

1.  Cut 2 pieces of your main fabric. I cut mine 25 x 59 which fits well in a standard size doorway. 

2. Place the two pieces on top of each other and cut out the doorway- 31 x 13. You can also go ahead and cut the fabric for your door. I wanted mine to be 31 x 13 so I cut a piece 34 x 15 to allow for seams. 

3. Take 1 piece of the 25 x 59 pieces of fabric. You will add your windows and other design elements to this piece. Cut out everything you want to put on the front of the house and lay them all out before you attach anything to see how everything looks. Good-ok! now you can glue or pin and sew everything on. 

4. Now iron flat 1/2" seams on 3 sides of the door (don't worry about the top). Now turn the seams a 1/2" again so the raw edge is enclosed in the seam. Iron. Glue or sew.

4.  Now we are going to put the door on. Cut 4 pieces of ribbon at least 10" long. Place two pieces on the back of the door and 2 pieces on the front ~The ribbon will allow you to roll the doorway up and tie it open.  Make sure the ribbons line up. You should have a sandwich of ribbon, door, ribbon on both top end of the door (I placed mine about 2 1/2" in from the edge of the door). Make sure the ribbons line up and then hand sew the ribbon door sandwich together. Tip: Glueing or sewing, I recommend hand sewing this bit. That way the ribbon won't slip or pull out on you. Place the door and the front of the house right sides together with the door bottom facing towards the top of the house.. Sew the door to the top of the doorway.

5. Place the house pieces right sides together. The door should be totally encased between the two house pieces. Sew or glue the top, bottom and two house sides. In addition, sew or glue down the two vertical doorway sides. Do not sew/glue the top of the doorway. 

6. Flip the house right side out through the top of the doorway. 

7. On the back piece of the house turn the top of the doorway under to enclose the raw edge. Iron. Sew or glue. 

8. At the top of the house on the sides cut small slits (1 1/2") on the hem/glue line. The easiest thing is to use fabric glue or fray ease to finish these raw edges. Let dry.

9. Slide your tension rod through and hang in the nearest doorway. Admire your work! 

Total project cost- $13 bucks

You can also use this basic technique to make a puppet theater.

For the puppet theater I recommend using two tension rods. 

Next time I make one I'll try and take some more process photos but those are the basics!

Organizing dress up clothes

Imaginative play is a vital component to a child's cognitive, social and emotional development. As I watch my daughter dress-up as a teacher or fireman or dinosaur.. I can see her trying to make sense of the greater world and her place in that world. In a safe way, she is exploring her fears, learning to navigate power dynamics and developing an understanding of social and cultural norms. In short, I think that every kid could benefit from some dress up clothes. Still dress-up clothes can and often do take over!
Although I am not classically type A I have a strong aesthetic preference for organization. Of course in a small house the space available for storage and organization is limited. So when my kids dress up clothes threatened to take over their play area I looked around for underutilized areas in my home-Like a rather long and awkward hall way. Perfect!

Here are some of the techniques I used:
1. Coat hooks- kids can see all their costumes and it is easy for them to get things on and off. I got a couple nice ones at IKEA but I also found some pretty good ones at our local Dollar Tree. I couldn't use command hooks because our walls are textured but I hear they work great.

2. Laminated pictures: I hung a laminated picture of the costume over the corresponding hook to make clean up easier. I used stick backed Velcro on the picture and wall. I have found this comes off pretty easily as long as your paint finish is at least egg- shell. If you don't have access to a laminator you can attach the pictures on small pieces of cardboard and mount them that way.



3. Small clear shoe holder: perfect for holding masks and other accessories like necklaces/ handcuffs etc. I got mine ( 12 sections) from Amazon and hung it low on the wall so it was easy to access. I also printed out pictures for each section and mounted them to the inside of each pocket. I like to make it as easy as possible for my kids to clean up.


4. Using a broom organizer to hold hobby horse and cowboy hats. This is great, my kids can just slide their hobby horse through the tension holder and they are " in the stable" for the night. The trick is to mount the holder low enough on the wall that your kids can easily manipulate their horse in and out of the "stable".