crunchy parenting

p. I recently wrote about “making your own baby diaper bag”:http://crunchyparenting.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/timbuk2-freestyle1.jpg2010/07/make-your-own-diaper-bag-for-babies/. I pointed out how you tend to carry more stuff around when they’re small, and can get away with less stuff as they get older and more mobile. With most toddlers, you can start leaving more and more stuff at home (or in a semi-permanent stash in the car) and travel lighter with a smaller bag for day trips.

p. As Spice has grown, I’ve gone through a variety of bags, but have slimmed down to a few bags like the “Overland Donner”:http://www.zappos.com/overland-equipment-donner-black-dusty-blue (via “Zappos”:http://www.zappos.com). It’s got a center compartment with enough room for a large pack of wipes, a few disposable diapers, two apples (or similar snacks) and maybe a few other small odds and ends. (I tend to leave out the changing pad and just change her in the trunk of the car, unless we’re going somewhere farther from the car, or into a park or museum.) There are water bottle holders on each side that I can wedge a “Munchkin sippy cup”:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JT34IQ?ie=UTF8&tag=littlefeet-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001JT34IQ into on one side and and a water bottle for myself on the other. The strap can be narrowed enough to a reasonable shoulder-purse length (when we’re traveling), or extended to wear messenger-style (how I usually wear it) or even far enough to fit over the wide handlebar of the “Bugaboo strollers”:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UZTRE0?ie=UTF8&tag=mylifeonline-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000UZTRE0. There’s a great Velcro-covered front pocket organizer on the Donner that holds my keys, wallet, cellphone, camera, etc. separate from the baby stuff. The only downside is that since I’ve been carrying my iPad with me, the Donner doesn’t have a padded pocket for it. I’ve been using a “Speck Pixelshield”:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003HFPJOM?ie=UTF8&tag=mylifeonline-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003HFPJOM slipped into the center compartment as a temporary solution, but with the grab handle, it’s too tall to close the zippered center compartment.

p. My solution came with the “Timbuk2 Freestyle Messenger”:http://www.zappos.com/viewProduct.do?productId=7619102, a messenger-style netbook bag. With an iPad-sized padded pocket and plenty of room for toddler goods in a center compartment, I finally have the best of both worlds. Plus, the Freestyle also has a good organizer section, just as I loved in the Donner. I’ll probably keep both packed and ready, but only use the Donner when I’m going out for a super-quick trip sans iPad. There’s no dedicated drink pocket, which might be a problem if your sippy cups are less than absolutely bombproof.

p. Again, I can’t recommend “Zappos”:http://www.zappos.com highly enough for bag shopping. Their return shipping and amazing customer service means risk-free shopping. Buy a bag, get it delivered super-fast to your doorstep and play with all the buckles, zippers and pockets on your own time. If it doesn’t suit your needs perfectly, you can send it back easily for free and try another one. For parents with small children, this is a must-have, unless you actually enjoy trying to detail shop while juggling a bored toddler.