The First Step

Is admitting you have a problem.  And I do.  I have a serious stroller addiction.  I'm always on a mission to find "the perfect one."  However, I have recently resolved myself to the fact that it doesn't exist.  There is no perfect stroller.  Not for one baby.  Not for two.  And certainly not for three.  Knowing that fact does not stop me though.  Even if there isn't a perfect stroller, there has to be one that's pretty damn close, right?  Another important fact in my rationalization of this extremely irrational behavior is that stroller needs change as children change and grow.  For example, the stroller that I used most often when my babies were newborns is no longer suitable for life with almost 1-year old twins.  I won't bore you with the details; just take my word for it.
So I bought another one yesterday.  That purchase brings our grand total of strollers acquired to 9.  Our current total of strollers in our possession is 6.  3 single, 3 double.  Plus a wagon.  I think this apartment has more devices for carrying and/or holding children than anything else, actually.  Upon my return with our new stroller yesterday Ron said, "The rule is if you bring one home, you have to get rid of one of the one's we have."  I agree with that rule to an extent.  Part of me wants to hold on to all of the strollers.  I don't know why.  Maybe I'm worried we'll need it again, and if I get rid of it I'll be out to buy ANOTHER one.  Or maybe it's the memories of my children riding in these strollers that make me want to keep them forever.  I think that's probably it.  But my husband is right.  6 strollers is too many, and our space is limited right now so one has to go.  But I'll admit that I felt twinges of sadness as I prepared my beloved Combi for it's departure this afternoon.  All I could picture as I wiped it down and vacuumed the cheerios out of it was my 11-week old twins being transported around Disney World in the hot June sun last year.

Well, it's going up on Craigslist in a couple of hours after the seat cushions are out of the wash.  And while I was washing those, I decided to wash the car seat and high chair covers too.  Then I decided I'd install Katelyn's new car seat, so I might as well clean the bases of the old ones.  One thing led to another, and I decided I'd wash up the new stroller too.  (It isn't actually new, it's a Craigslist purchase) and here is what my livingroom looks like at the moment:

2 strollers, 2 carseats, and a mish-mosh of toys.  Not too bad, right?  Well, there is another carseat and two additional strollers on our front stoop waiting to be stored/cleaned/installed/sold.  I'd better stop typing and get to work before my kids wake up and/or my husband gets home and commits me.