1 Mother 2 Another

We’ve had a luxuriously long Indian
summer here, with highs almost to 80 degrees just last week.
We’ll have a couple days of “cold” – maybe
55 or 60 for a high – before hanging around in the 70s again
a while. But these little forays into balmy weather are becoming
fewer and farther between, and as I look at our forecast with a
high of about 51 for the next week, I’m having to acknowledge
that the cold is settling in to stay.


Which means it’s time to get out the gear.

I’ve already changed over
everyone’s closets: Maddie and Cora have had their winter
gear out and ready since I had to move them both up a clothing size
a month ago, and Brian and I finally dug out our sweaters and down
jackets this week. Mittens and pull-on hats are beginning to loiter
at the front door, and indeed, this afternoon when we went for a
walk Maddie requested a hat, “And not the kind you tie, but
the kind that hugs your head, please, Mom.”


So now all that’s left are the stroller blankets and soft
carrier wraps needed to keep the little despots warm as
they’re ferried around the city in style. For Maddie, my
all-time favorite stroller blanket, the href="http://mobilemoms.com/-Toastie-Toddler-Original-XL-46-68-prod.htm">
toastie toddler by Mobile Moms, will be attached to her
Maclaren and left in for the rest of the season. I love this thing
– it’s the third winter in a row we’ve used it
for her, which means there’s a ton of room to grow. The thing
is a snap to put into the stroller, thin enough that you can leave
it in and still fold the stroller, incredibly warm, wind-proof,
waterproof, and machine washable. What’s left to say? Oh,
yes, it unzips completely apart so if the weather turns mild I can
unzip the top and turn it from a sleeping bag-type thing to a seat
liner. If you’re a new mom and looking for bang for your
buck, this is worth the investment – you’ll use it for
years.


Cora’s got something as well, but I can’t recommend it
to you. I’d love to – her Kangaroo Kuddler fits over
any infant car seat or front soft carrier, is also windproof,
toasty, machine-washable, and so on. But for whatever reason (I
can’t think of a good one) Mobile Moms stopped making it.
I’ve found something similar online – the target="_blank"
href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000022941663">
Poppit looks much like what I use – but I
can’t tell you how great it is because I’ve never tried
it. If you’ve got a soft carrier winter cover out there you
love, please let me know so I can pass it on to other moms.


So Maddie’s covered, Cora is covered, Maddie is now a pro
with the mittens and hats, which leaves just one thing to cover
– Cora’s head and hands. I’m hoping Cora’s
going to be more willing to wear winter accessories than Maddie was
as a baby (remember the Mittenless Wonder?) but frankly, I’m
not holding my breath; just today as we went for a walk Cora kept
frantically sticking her bare arm out from under her covers so the
appendage was ice-cold by the time we got home.


Bring on the frostbite!