Excuse me, but is that a...?

"Graco, Metrolite stroller, with front-end suspension, complete with absorbent shocks, aluminum frame, weighing in at 18lbs. with a 9lb. carseat (+base) attachment???"

Yes, folks, that question actually came out of my mouth today. As some friends came to church, I couldn't help but notice their stroller...yes, their stroller. Sarah and I spent a few hours at Babies 'R Us again researching, unfolding, folding, and test-driving strollers. I don't care how manly you think you are. Nothing will emasculate you faster than pushing a stroller around Babies 'R Us with no baby inside.

The workers were very helpful, especially Tom, the department supervisor. He was a 50 year old man who knew way too much about strollers. I don't know if it was the fact that he was like 50 or all the weird sarcastic jokes he made. You know the kind that make you just chuckle because you're really uncomfortable? Like if you don't laugh, he'll shoot you or take one of those super lightweight strollers and beat you over the head? Yeah, that kinda weird. Still, the man knew his stuff, and come to think of it, I think the whole thing got weirded out when he actually sat in one of the strollers to demonstrate that it can hold a lot of weight. (And then one of his employees started to push him around in it.) Check please!!???

Anyhow, I think we have it narrowed down, but it's CRAZY. I can't believe the technology involved in strollers. Whatever happened to the 'good' old days when mom would push me around in a plastic stroller, with vinyl/canvas material that would chafe against my baby skin? The only shocks we had on those suckers was when you'd hit a rock on the ground...you'd feel the shock alright...

I'm definitely learning more than I bargained for at this point!!!

Tune in for the next installment of baby merchandise research...BREAST PUMPS...