Actually, I think we’re trading our Caddy for a Ford, but it has to be done.

Yesterday, our new tandem stroller (front-to-back, for you unmultipled readers) arrived. I waited all day for it (you know, in between the rest of life) and was psyched to see the big Graco box on our porch when we got home from baseball. It was with mixed feelings, however, that I had researched and ordered it. I love our Zooper double side-by-side, also meticulously researched in the months before the girls were born. It turns on a thin dime and fits through every doorway, save one, we’ve ever encountered. We splurged on it, knowing we would rely on it as we have no other stroller. I especially lilke that it is solid - heavy, yes - but it doesn’t feel wobbly or cheap. It also folds up flat, leaving ample space in the back of the van.

Why the trade-in? Simply put, a 45lb, hair-pulling preschooler. Davey walks most of the time, but when he won’t (tired, interested in the texture of the sidewalk) I have to carry him and he is HEAVY. I would put him in the stroller with one of the twins and carry the other except for that little hair-pulling trick of his. I am just too old and tired to be carrying a big kid around on my hip. I need this body to last me another 40-50 years - in one relatively functioning piece.

So a tandem stroller was the only solution. Pack mule? Did I consider pack mule? The kids would love it. Most of the tandems, though, are pretty flimsy and would never hold up to Davey’s sturdy frame. Until I found THE ONE. It’s new, just now in the stores - a Quattro Tour Duo rated to hold up to 50lbs in the front seat. Yes! Now when I need Davey to ride, I can pop him in the front and carry one of the girls instead. The 20+ lb difference is significant to my arms and back, believe me.

I stayed up a little late last night assembling it. It went together easily and it looks snazzy. The girls and I tested it out on our morning trip to W**mart. We glided through the aisles, snaked deftly between the clothing racks. My only complaint is that, while this stroller handles quite well, it is not as easy to maneuver with one hand. And I need one hand to steer the stroller and the other to pull the shopping cart. I think it’s just the nature of tandem (long wheelbase) versus side-by-side (short wheelbase).

Jules and Mae love it. They have their own cup- and snackholders. The sister in front has an unobstructed view. The sister in the back can kick at the sister in the front. It works beautifully. I have yet to try it with Davey aboard. Even if it’s not a perfect ride, it’s still better than losing the sensation in my left arm and developing a permanent right-leaning crick in my torso.

Now I’m just hoping I can get some decent cash for the used Zooper.