(Note: The great sale at Albee Baby that I refer to in this post is no longer available, as all of the 2010 strollers have been discontinued and they are sold out.)

Ever have one of those moments when you could just kick yourself?I could kick myself ever since the stroller I just bought a few months ago, the Baby Jogger City Mini Double, finally went on sale at Albee Baby.

I’m a bargain shopper. Before purchasing this stroller, I spent several weeks in an exhaustive search for a deal, finally concluding that Baby Joggers simply don’t go on sale. But alas, only a month after taking the plunge and buying my beloved stroller for a fair price, it finally went on sale at Albee Baby: $279.99  for the orange and gray model (my personal favorite; sharp-looking, fade-resistant, and never looks dirty). I should mention that Albee Baby is also currently running an offer of 15% off most regularly priced items, and free shipping for orders over $100. Not too shabby! After Albee Baby’s promotion, it looks like the next best price is currently at Amazon.

You are probably wondering, “What in the world are you doing buying a new stroller during your eighth pregnancy, Michelle? At this point in time, why not just stick with what you’ve got? Are you sure you’ll get your money’s worth?”

You make a good point. I’ve gone back and forth on it myself. But I’d have to argue that as a mom of many young children, I’m in a position to truly appreciate the features, ease, and convenience that a new stroller can offer.I was a good bit younger and had six fewer children when I purchased my first double stroller, and while that stroller served me well through eleven years of heavy use, it was a bit heavy and cumbersome. Now that I’m older, busier with activities, and busier with a larger family, Iron Man and I agreed that a new stroller would be a sanity and back-saver for me.

I began my search for the perfect stroller for our family. In my mind, “perfect” meant side-by-side seating, durable, lightweight and reasonably compact, and suitable for everything from church to the baseball park. The Baby Jogger City Mini Double surpassed my list with features I didn’t realize existed in strollers. After a painstaking search for a bargain, (Baby Jogger strollers rarely go on sale and are almost always specifically excluded from coupons), we eventually bought it. We’ve used it at least once or twice a week ever since, still love it, and can’t resist sharing it with you.

As I began to type out the vast number of reasons I love my stroller, I realized that words just couldn’t do it justice. You really have to see this stroller in action to appreciate it. A video seemed more suitable than an article. Thus, with a little fear and trepidation (I’m really not designed for speaking; I’m soft-spoken and don’t think well on my feet) I asked Iron Man to record a video of me as I demonstrated it. If you promise to look past the “um”s and awkward pauses (not to mention my large pregnant belly and swollen ankles) then I give you my full permission to watch the following video demo of my dream stroller, the Baby Jogger City Mini Double. I warn you that since I have a quiet voice, there are a few moments that are hard to hear. For that reason, I also typed up the reasons I love my stroller, right after the videos.

Video 1: Why I LOVE the Baby Jogger City Mini Double

Video 2: So easy, even a child can push it

Didn’t quite catch all that? I told you I’m soft-spoken. Hopefully this list of my favorite features will fill in any gaps:

1. Folding
   Two words: The Best! Each seat has a small strap that says “PULL TO FOLD.” Just pull on them at the same time, and the stroller folds shut. While not as compact as, say, an umbrella stroller, it is quite compact for a double stroller.
2. Handling
   The stroller pushes like a dream. It turns on a dime and pushes easily, even when loaded up with children. When no one’s around to help, I can open a heavy door with one hand while easily maneuvering the stroller with the other.
3. Size
   The size is great. It’s large enough to comfortably hold two children up to 50 pounds each, yet still fits through any standard doorway (I never encountered one yet that we can’t fit through). I’ve even taken shopping a few times, and fit in all aisles with room to spare.
4. Canopies
   The canopies are huge. I can recall trips to Disney World where we were constantly adjusting the small canopies trying to shade our children. This stroller has the biggest canopies I’ve seen anywhere. Each canopy also has three segments, so it’s easily adjustable to how much shade is needed. Two of the segments have flaps that fold up for a peek-through window.
5. Seats
   The seats are wonderful. They are well-padded, the backs easily recline to almost a flat position, and we can also open a back flap for ventilation on hot days.
6. Harnesses
   The five-point harnesses are not only very safe and hard for kids to figure out how to get out of, but are also very easy to adjust to accommodate growing children. Just unclip those hooks to move to a different height, or tug to adjust the length of the straps.
7. Wheels
   While it’s not a jogging stroller, the City Mini does have front-suspension wheels which make it a smooth ride. The wheels also lock in place to make it easier to go over rough terrain for longer distances.

Check it out! If you’ve been looking for a deal on the City Mini Double, I can vouch for the fact that Albee Baby’s promotion is a rare deal to come by. Kicking myself now.

(Update: It looks like Amazon has the best price now that Albee’s 2010 strollers are sold out.)