We still use a stroller for T sometimes, especially if we’re out shopping.  Usually Lenny will wear him, but he’s starting to get really heavy.  If we’re outdoors, we’re fine with bringing our Phil & Teds, but for smaller indoor spaces like stores, malls, the P&T seems massive, even with it’s smaller profile.  We have our Peg Perego Aria still, but Tyler likes to slouch in the strollers, so his feet touch the ground.  He thinks it’s hilarious when he plants his feet firmly on the ground or wheels when I try to push the stroller.  It is just a tad annoying.  The P&T sits up high enough that I don’t face the problem.  I hate putting him in the Aria because I spend half the time yelling at him to pick up his feet.

I spent a long time looking for an umbrella stroller for a reasonable price.  I knew I wanted a smooth ride, a stroller that stands up by itself when folded and a big canopy.  One day, I saw a mom at our post office pushing what looked like an umbrella stroller on stilts.  It was so tall!  I took a quick glance at the tag and it said “Aprica”.  I had never heard of it and thought maybe it was one of those cheapo brands.  I forgot about it until I was doing more research on it and saw it mentioned on some forum.  After a little more digging, I was hooked. 

Not only did it have all my requirements, the seat on the stroller is really high up and has a 70 pound weight limit! The canopy is HUGE.  T’s feet doesn’t reach the wheels at all when he’s in it.  It has a super smooth push and really soft, removable seat inserts.  It also saves my back since I don’t have to bend all the way over to put him in the stroller.  AND comes with a rain cover!  It was formerly a Japanese company but I think it has been taken over by Graco.

The few downsides include a small basket, somewhat complicated fold/unfold and it’s heavy for an umbrella stroller at 13.5 pounds.  But to me, those things I can live with.  The seat height is the best thing EVER! The stroller in general is taller than most umbrella strollers, so no hunching over to reach the handles. The colors are really great and I ended up with the Tea Leaf reen one even though I really like the orange and gray better, but those 2 colors were more expensive (I hate when companies mark up certain patterns).  But I’m not that picky about color since eventually everything becomes dirty thanks to the kids.

(the canopy isn’t fully open in the pic.  There’s another 1/3 tucked in)