Since I like being honest (or whatever) with you guys I wanted to let you know that I originally wrote this post in April for Deep South Moms but that blog is defunct which means, well, nothing to me. All I'm saying is that this isn't NEW content unless you've never read it before. Then it's new to you.


When I was pregnant I spent countless hours browsing baby registries and reading product reviews to make sure I selected the perfect things for my angel.


NO. NOT REALLY.

Instead of doing that I was probably reading chick lit and stuffing my face with pita bread and hummus.

Again, just kidding. I craved cheeseburgers.

I didn't want a crib. The baby could sleep in a dresser drawer. We registered for a pack 'n play so why the hell did we need a crib? It appeared to me that most baby related products were unnecessary. Do you really need a diaper wipe warmer? NO. Do you need a bottle sanitizer? NO. I nursed my daughter so I didn't even need bottles! A Boppy? Really? Couldn't I just use a pillow?

As for the stroller and car seat? FORGET IT. My niece was only sixteen months older than her cousin-to-be so we would be getting her hand-me-down car seat. A friend of mine whose oldest child was five had a stroller she no longer needed so she gave it to us. Sure, the stroller was kind of ugly and needed to be cleaned. But it had wheels and a place for the baby to sit or lay down.

And did I mention it was free?


I would bundle her up, lay her in the stroller and push her around the block as she fell asleep. It was magical. I would pass other moms pushing their babies in their fancy BOB and Quinny strollers while I was rolling around with this rickety old stroller and I felt a little embarrassed. It was hard to steer and you could forget about pushing it with one hand. I wanted to kick my own ass for not getting a new stroller when we actually had two incomes and could afford it. Since I chose to be a frugal jerk I was stuck with this navy blue plaid monstrosity that my daughter didn't even like sitting in.

The stroller is to a mom what a car is to a guy. It's a status symbol. What was I saying to the world with my stroller?

I'd had enough. I was uncomfortable and hated using the stroller and I am pretty sure that my kiddo hated it too. When our tax refund arrived I waited exactly thirty seconds for the check to clear before I hopped online and started looking for strollers. I created a must-have list - the handle had to be high enough so that my husband could comfortably push it, it needed a large storage compartment and I needed a damn cup holder! I ogled the ritzy ones that I knew were out of my price range. Can't a girl window shop?

I found the one that was perfect and made my purchase. It arrived on my doorstep a few days later and once my husband assembled it we took it for a test drive.

It was the best walk EVER. I didn't feel like a loser pushing a piece of crap stroller. I felt like a mom. Like SUPERMOM. I looked like I knew what I was doing. I looked put together. Maybe I'm materialistic (I know I am) but I actually enjoyed taking my daughter for a walk and she liked it too. My thirteen month old actually fell asleep while I was pushing her in the new hotness. I was amazed. I wanted to hug my new stroller.

But what would the neighbors say!?