Xtra, xtra! Read all about it!

I got the call whilst I was on the way to Philadelphia Zoo, a sentence which leads me to sound much more yummy than mummy, and if there’s one thing I’m not, it’s yummy. But I was in the car, on the first week of a family trip to America when I found out about my new role as a Quinnycaster. It was astonishing, given that there were over 3000 applications, that I had been chosen, but not so astonishing that I overlooked the opportunity to buy a new co-ordinating change bag. Nevertheless I then completely forgot about my new-found status until I answered the door to the delivery man this morning (let’s just say that a combination of jetlag and vomity children made me wonder if I was even human.)

The box sat in the middle of the sitting room floor for some time whilst I administered a large dose of caffeine and found out what day it was, what time it was, what country it was and verified that I had the correct number of fingers and toes. All it took was a look at the bags that still needed unpacking, the laundry that would ultimately need doing and the mountain of mail that needed to be opened and I practically tore the box wide open to get at my brand new pushchair. As a closet pushchair-addict, and the wife of someone who only reluctantly reads instructions, I have become fairly adept at assembling things, and it was the work of moments to put it together.

OK, I wasn’t blindfolded, which is no bad thing, given that I was on my own. I’m fairly sure that sort of thing is illegal in some countries. Even better that I could tell a rapidly blanching DH, who had walked in on me whilst I was stroking the crisp red hood and salivating, that it had cost us not a penny.

Note how well the Rebel Red Zapp looks with my lovely change bag!

Then followed a dilemma: to wake the still-sleeping jet-lagged children and try out the new fabulous Rebel Red Quinny Zapp Xtra in the open air, or wait until I’d actually remembered to get dressed?