Moby D

I never thought I'd feel this way about a piece of ten foot long fabric in which you carry a small child, but I do. I. . . I . . . I love it.

It has nothing to do with Herman Melville's novel. At first you may think putting it on is as elusive as the notorious whale, but, after a few times, you realize that Ahab would have given his other leg if catching Moby Dick was as simple as this wrap. Yeah, it's simply a wrap. A wrap that has nothing to do with Chipotle.

I'll admit, when Mommy said she wanted to get the Moby-D, not the Moby because it doesn't have the additional piece of fabric, I was hesitant. Why not a regular sling? But, as the Monkey's song goes, "Now, I'm a believer."

You take this ten foot piece of fabric and wrap it around your belly, around your back, make a cross, go over your shoulders, under the part in front of your belly, make another cross, around your waist, tie a knot and voila, you can do anything while your baby is snuggling against your chest. Ok, so that sounds complicated, but really, it isn't.

We went to the store prior to Asher's birth to try one on, and, as stated, I was hesitant. The reason for my hesitance could have been the fact that the one we were dry running was lavender with a flower motif and a silk fabric panel. But when the nice woman at Nature's Child helped me wrap it this way and that way and this way and that way, then handed me the twenty pound life size doll named Tommy who I slid effortlessly into this secret pouch, I was astonished. It was like I wasn't even holding a child. Plus, the purple was slimming. I began to grow fond of the purple. There was a purple one left in stock. Mommy looked at me askance.

We went with the brown.

Now, I am not hesitant. It is amazing. We feel safe with Asher in there. He is secure and not going anywhere, and we can use both hands without any effort. It fits Mommy as well as it does Daddy. There is no bulky stroller when we want to go for an evening walk. If we need to go to the store, after arriving at the store we don't have to worry about the car seat. We pop Asher out of his car seat, slip him into the Moby, and bring Tahlia along.

You become accustomed to the stares. But the stares are usually followed by a, "Is there a baby in there?" Then "oh's" and "ah's" when you produce a little head. I wonder if these are the types of stares the people who used the first prams received. Did people make comments like: "Is there a baby in there? Odd that you don't have your child secured to your body."

And, when his little head is popped out, you can give kisses galore -- I think this is an added bonus. But who knows, maybe it is all part of the package. Who would have ever thought I'd feel so amorously for a ten foot piece of fabric in the first place.