Mad as a hatter.

I am not really sure if that title works, but then I am not really sure how to convey just how mad I am.

You see I have three children under 20 months. That's a lot of rug rats any way you look at it, especially in this day, but it seems like more than three any time I attempt to leave the house. You see you have to make sure they are all properly full so you don't have to feed them while you're out and you have to give them cups, so they don't get thirsty. You have to change their diapers so you don't have to attempt the four of you going into the tiny handy cap stall at Target. You have to stock the diaper bag with snacks, because even with full bellies they'll want something, and have diapers, because with the cups they're sure to still need a change. Then if you're breastfeeding you may have to pump if you aren't comfortable about nursing in public. Then you have to put shoes on...everyone. By this point you'll be needing a nap, but you haven't even made it to the car yet. Getting all three into the car will involve something near acrobatics, but you will eventually manage and be on your way. But once you get to where you're going, you'll wonder how you alone will manage getting all three safely in and out of your target destination.

Eventually you will come to realize that a triple stroller is in order even though you really shouldn't spend that much money, but you will start to think about Andrea Yeats and Susan Smith and decide it really is just money and you would really like to keep your sanity. So with losing only a few hours sleep on the subject you will hit confirm order on the world's most expensive Italian stroller, hoping those wheels really do stay on.

Or at least that's what I did. But trying to be thrifty I bought it at a site offering 10% off, which was without giving the price of my purchase away, over $100 in savings. I should have known something was up when the confirmation page said something along the lines of we'll be in touch. When after four days I hadn't gotten a following email about shipping dates I emailed the company. They emailed me within 24 hours to let me know the item had been shipped. It was to arrive yesterday.

We live in the sticks and I waited all day anxiously for the UPS guy because I really wanted my stroller. Finally, at 6:45 p.m., the stroller arrived in two boxes. Todd commented that one of the boxes, the one with the stroller frame or chassis, wasn't long enough to be already put together. I argued that you didn't spend that much money to have to assemble your own stroller. We were both right. It wasn't long enough but it was already assembled. Upon removing the stroller and assembling the wheels we realized, all too late, that we had indeed received a 'duette' chassis, not a 'triplette' chassis. I was so disappointed and upset that I immediately went to call the company to find that there is not a single number on their website, you have to file all complaints via email. I cannot sufficiently raise hell in an email, without resorting to ALL CAPS.

I was so mad I felt almost sick to my stomach. Because my credit card has been charged, I have an opened stroller that I have to package back up, take to UPS (see above on how much fun this will certainly be) and wait for them to receive the item before I can get a refund (which their site says could take 2-3 weeks) before ordering a new one someplace else for more than $100 more.

And all this time I am thinking why didn't we take a child spacing class or something. We will ultimately be rewarded for having our children so close together right?

Right?