In a world of thousand dollar strollers and the most fabulous baby gear, I'm proud to say that my toddler's stroller -- while not being the fanciest of the fleet -- has stood the test of time.
While we can be sure that the latest Hollywood starlet turned new mama is not pushing the kind of stroller we have around the streets of New York or L. A., our buggy has been a trusted companion.
We picked it up a couple of years ago and have used it without reprieve. It was late January when we first strapped our infant son into it and pushed him around the block. He was bundled up, and his little newborn face was exposed to the cold air. During that first ride, I (as a new dad) pushed the stroller with astonishing gentleness.
Since then, I've pushed it over the oldest cobble-stone streets in Paris and past Zulu mothers wearing their babies on their backs in South Africa. I've loaded it up with diaper bags, groceries and on one occasion a watermelon. (The diapers and groceries were for my kid and our family. The watermelon, for daycare.)
The frame is now starting to fall apart. (Probably, because of said watermelon.) I'm pleased to report that I continue to love the way it maneuvers. Like a well-worn baseball glove or a pair of skates, it has improved with age. And we are probably using it until its wheels fall off.
It's funny how parents -- in North America and Europe especially -- have become accustomed to all of the gear offered in the marketplace when there are new moms around the world who go about their daily business having simply wrapped their baby onto their backs using a sling.
