apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

So here is my quick attempt to explain why I so desperately need this gorgeous diaper bag.

Ah, the diaper bag. After months of searching and purchasing three of them, I am still hunting for the perfect bag. Five months ago, b.b. (before baby) I made the big diaper bag decision and decided to go with a unisex solution, something that both my husband and I could use interchangeably. We decided on a navy blue option (that coordinated with the bugaboo). And while it is functional, its just not exciting.

Around one month a.b. (after baby) I realized that I had ditched my own purse. And along with it a lot of other things that made me feel like a put together individual. So much for the collection of “it” bags and manolos! So I decided to search for another option. I splurged on a colorful diaper bag. I thought it would be fun, but instead I felt like a total school girl. A third attempt ended poorly when my order was never processed. So now I’ve resorted to stuffing bambina’s growing pile of stuff into my own bag.

But the DB baby tote looks like just what the doctor ordered. A balance of form and function. I love that it looks sophisticated yet it seems like the design with all it’s pockets and pouches is really clever. So maybe I can finally be a stylish mommy…

The baby beatrix tote is fantastic looking and adjustable. The brown tone is very chic and I love the strap that can extend to allow over the shoulder use!
I've been looking for a bag that is stylish and not too cutsey, but my only local options for shopping are Walmart and Babies'R'Us and I can't find anything that is modern and cleanable. It's really refreshing to see some options that don't aren't pastel in color or doesn't have that rugged cargo feel. I desperately need a bag that I can carry around and not be ashamed!

Stroller Tote? STROLLER TOTE!!!
Thing Two is a great looking bag, & what's more I LOVE the concept.
My little family would happily test this bag for you- DAILY!
We stroll everyday- to the park, library, & downtown for errands...
We were lucky enough to purchase/assemble a used Bugaboo, which is great for walking. Now our regular diaper bag doesn't fit it- too big. We've been using a small messenger bag for our outings but it's not a good fit either. It slides down the handle bar, & doesn't provide any of the necessities for baby, like a changing pad or enough room to carry much!
Now I know what we need-
Thing Two by DanteBeatrix!!

Oh my goodness. Here is my desperate plea... I love these bags, and need, NEED the Beatrix baby tote in my life. My daughter is now 4 months old and I have one messenger bag style diaper bag that was purchased for me as a gift but wasn't one I would have picked. So, needless to say, it's cute but not at all functional, too small, and so dark inside that it's a black hole. I decided to postpone my return to work, so I spend my days with serious diaper bag envy since our budget won't allow me to buy a new one right now. I scan websites looking for the perfect bag and think maybe someday I'll be able to treat myself to a new fabulous bag. But lo! Here AT comes along and is giving away one of my top picks!

Just two days ago I saw a Love stroller tote in action on the subway and absolutely coveted it. But I was too shy to ask where the dad using it got it, and I've been wondering ever since who made it and where I could get one. And lo and behold, I log on for my daily fix of AT Nursery and find this contest!

Looking at the designs, I actually think I love the Thing One even more than Love. For the past 8 months we've been using the hospital-issued diaper bag, which is falling apart, and I've been in search of a sturdy, well-organized, funky but not too girly, stroller-friendly (we live in NYC and stroll EVERYWHERE) bag that is made of an easily cleanable fabric that will stand up to strolling in all weather (but that is NOT the dreaded PVC!). A very tall order, but the Dante Beatrix stroller tote looks perfect. I love the bold design and the stroller clips. I'd immediately put it to use strolling to the park (with a supply of clothes, bottles, snacks, etc.), banging around on the subway, schlepping to the playground, and more. Love it!

Prior to my baby's arrival my father bought me a beautiful diaper tote. It was stylish and modern, and I was thrilled. I even carried it around months before my daughter was born; I loved it that much. Well, 10 months later it is a wreck! After loading it with all the baby necessities it is way to heavy, and the straps are way to uncomfortable. It is nearly impossible to clean the exterior, and I don't want to discuss the current state of the interior. It isn't as if I haven't tried to keep it clean. So I desperately need / would love a bag that can take the kind of beating that only a mother and child can give, and preferably one that is not covered in hard plastic, which looks like my only other alternative right now.

These bags look incredibly beautiful and functional (especially the gray and khaki tote) on a website, but so did my first. I'd love to see just how well it can hold up in the real and crazy world that I call home.

I noticed that your blog today
is offering a giveaway
of two fantastic beautiful bags
(which would style me up to be less of a hag!)
I believe that you should consider my plea
as my existing bag is awfully wee!
19 months ago we were wonderfully blessed
by our son Nairn (a terrible pest)
a stereotypical boy, we’ve found
who carts an army of toys around
in addition to the usual stuff.
Unfortunately he goes in a huff
when Mummy leaves his things behind
and so it would help me unwind!
To explain, in May Nairn welcomed a sister
(this is becoming quite the tongue-twister!)
So my luggage requirements are double!
To keep this Mummy out of trouble
If you send the stroller tote to us
We’d take it with us – on the bus,
and to the park and other places.
I can just imagine their faces
When Mummy is organised, funky and happy
with a big enough bag for both babes to have nappies!
In short, forgive my terrible rhyme
But consider how desperate I am, to find time
To construct a dreadful poem in hope
Of being a tester for that fantastic tote 

My two-year-old did his first "poopoo on the potty" today. Who knew that such a mundane act could bring two grown adults so much joy?

Of course, the rest of the day, he insisted on going back to his Elmo diapers. So I'm anticipating a lot of up-and-down days when he'll teeter between being a "baby" in diapers and being a "big kid". As I'm sure any parent knows, the potty business isn't always pretty, especially when out and about.

Throw in a newborn who's due any day now (3 cm dilated at 37 weeks!), and now you've got someone who would love to feel feminine and pulled together during those not-so-pulled-together moments of being a mom of two.

The baby tote looks like the perfect bag for such a feat, and I guarantee that it will see some trying times! Not only would I use it for playgroups and strolls in notorious Chicago weather, but I need a bag appropriate enough for playground-to-job interviews in the near future. ( I guess I'd just strategically cover up the "devil" logo!) I also love the organization of the bag, which will help any caregiver spot whatever he or she needs right away.

Like other posters, my previous diaper bags have seen a lot of abuse. I've heard great reviews of Dante Beatrix's quality and would love to experience that firsthand.

After reading the above comments, I can't compete. I have no plea. I just love the bebe stroller tote because it looks so fun and I would be happy to write a review.

My baby is only 20 months old and I have already gone through 8 diaper bags. You could say I'm somewhat of an expert on the subject. The ones that I've used haven't lasted very long or just didn't look good anymore after a short period of time. And you know you always have to look good! LOL!

Hello! I am a new, first time mother of twins who would love to test the baby tote. I've tried a few different diaper bags but have yet to find one both big enough and comfortable enough to carry along with two tiny babies. I need something large to fit all of their gear and my cell phone, wallet, etc. We are always on the go so we would have many opportunities to test the baby tote.
Life with twins is wonderful although a little hectic. We are a little sleep deprived and are usually throwing on anything on the way out the door. It would be nice to have such a stylish accessory!

I love those bags! They are both gorgeous but my heart really pines for the baby tote...I bought a cute diaper bag when I was 6 mos pregnant. (it was the first thing I let myself buy "for the baby") Pretty blue shiny Asian print covered in plastic for durability. Sucks that not 2 months after our baby girl was born and I lived with that bag at my side the plastic was cracking at the edges and the handles began to fray. Since then we've been using a cheap messenger bag my mom got for free at a conference. No way near enough pockets and about as stylish as a pair of sweatpants. Ick. Please save me!

I would so LOVE to win/test the chocolate damask tote! It's gorgeous and looks like it has a different enough design that it would solve my current diaper bag dilemma, too!

I have a 2 &1/2 year old daughter and am expecting a baby boy in less than 2 weeks! I have used 5 different diaper bags at this point for different purposes. Some were just too cheap and wore out (NOT something that should be a problem with this Beatrix bag...I'd love to find out!), some just turned out not to be as practical as I'd like. None of them seem like they will be adequate after the new baby is born.

My daughter is still not potty trained, so I need to carry diapers, wipes, and a changing pad for her, in addition to her full array of toddler necessity paraphenalia...like a no-spill straw cup of water, snacks, and paperback books, restaurant swiped crayon 4-pack, tiny play-doh, stickers, etc. for emergency entertainment.

I don't carry a separate purse (that's especially why the diaper bag has to look nice and be functional...it's always with me!), so I have to carry a small amount of my own things (small wallet, cell phone, lip gloss), too. When the new baby is born, of course, I'll have to carry diapers for him, the extra outfit, small blanket and toy, etc., too. I admit that my bag is also full of other things that I consider necessary to have, just in case...and I'm always glad I do (i.e., tiny baby sunblock, hand wipes, stain remover, hand sanitizer, tiny garbage bags for stinky messes, disposable bibs and travel case for toddler silverware, little first aid kit with some bandaids and ointment, etc.).

So, obviously I carry around a ton of stuff...and it's only going to get worse. What I really, really want is a bag that looks beautiful and stylish (especially to help me look slightly more put together on those I-can-only-manage-sweats-days) and has enough room for everything I'd like to have with me. And, the really tricky part...a way to keep the toddler stuff separate from the newborn stuff, and my stuff separate from both! The combination of internal/external pockets on these Beatrix totes look like they just might do it, and I'd love the opportunity to do a review and find out!

I need to try this bag. I am always on the go with my children, I have a 4 year old and an almost 2 year old and we will be ttc #3 very soon. I am always trying to find a great diaper bag that fits everything that I need in it. One with compartments for orginizing, and one that will withstand anything. If it is easy to clean that is awesome. I want something that looks classy, and makes people's eyes turn.

I have eyt to find a bag that meets my expectations. please pick me!! I really love the baby beatrix tote in chocolate damask

I really need the beautiful chocolate damask bag! I have a two and a half year old boy and a 2 month old girl. I have sooo much stuff to carry around with me all the time (both in diapers still). i've gone through numerous bags. First I tried using a baby blue one with cutsie stuff on it. I got over that look really fast! LOL. Then I tried buying one to fit onto my stroller. It looked sleek, but didn't hold much. Then I resorted to using the free bag the hospital gives out with the formula company branding on it. Plain, boring and not very many pockets. toting around tons of baby stuff all the time is exhausting. Plus, I'm usually wearing food or stickers from my 2-year-old and/or spit up from my baby. I need SOMETHING about me to be cute (your beautiful bag!) and really need all those compartments. If I had this bag, I'd be the envy of all the mom's at my mom's group. :) I hope I get the chance to try it out! Thanks for listening to me.
Stacey

I have an 8 week old baby and I also work 5 days a week in a church daycare program in an affluent area. The moms dress their babies for child care in those expensive smocked outfits that cost upwards of $70 each...for baby clothes! Anyway everyone always compares baby stuff and asks about its origin.I know I would be turning heads with a "Thing Two" design stroller tote. It is important to me that my baby have nice things, even though he is the second born, and the second boy. I hate to banish him to a lifetime of hand-me-downs.
Last week I unveiled the handmade Indonesian batik baby sling and at least 6 people asked me where I got it. They were sad when I told them it was hand made by a friend who worked in Indonesia.
I have done 2 reviews at www.theopinionatedparent.com but now I am working on my own site (underconstruction). :)

Oh Peace Sign Stroller Tote, we would LOVE to have you in our lives and welcome you into our home! We would take you everywhere we go with our little twins and test your strength, durability, capacity, and "hip" factor (as twins do draw some extra attention). We're ready to load you with lots of diapers, booty cream, wipes plus a few snacks and something to drink (is there a matching wine carrier for mom...just kidding?!) Peace Sign Stroller Tote are you ready for long strolls while we look for dogs, birds, cats and heavy machinery (small boy with fascination for loud, big trucks will be in the double wide as will his sister who prefers sucking on her shoes!)? Will you be willing to travel both domestically and abroad? Will you want to go the swimming pool? How do you feel about coffeeshops (I bet you love them)? Peace Sign Stroller Tote, please let us test drive you as the "mothership" bag we have is tiresome, weary and ready to retire.

A squirrel ate my diaper bag. Yes, some brazen squirrel with a yen for Trader Joe’s honey wheat pretzel sticks chewed a sizeable hole through the bottom of my bag one day when I made the mistake of leaving the stroller (with bag hanging from handle) out in the back yard. I was trying not to be wasteful and did not run out and buy yet another diaper bag. Instead I have been trudging around with a crudely patched but serviceable diaper bag. But I can’t help wondering if it really is true that all you need is love-- the love stroller tote, that is. That question has led me to actually register to comment on the site after a year and a half of lurking.
If chosen to test the love stroller tote, I can offer an extremely detailed review. I can evaluate how well the tote hangs from the single bar of my main stroller as I push it over Cambridge’s bumpy sidewalks, how well it fits on the double handles of my umbrella stroller as I take it in and out of the car, and how fast I can remove the tote from either stroller and sling it over my shoulder while herding my three-year old and clicking my five-month old into the Baby Bjorn carrier. My three-year old will be delighted to help me test the outer bottle pockets to make sure they can hold Sigg water bottles--both adult and junior-sized, tissues, a 20 oz bottle of diet coke with lime, actual baby bottles, and/or Sophie la Girafe. I can also offer a full report on how well the tote manages the bulkier paraphernalia of cloth diapering, including the cloth wipes, spray bottle of wipe solution, and wet bag; whether there is also room for a state-of-the-art 3-year old entertainment system comprised of crayons, stickers, and scraps of paper, along with a small first aid kit, a change of clothes, burp cloth, and blanket for the baby, and squirrel-magnets--I mean snacks--and last minute stuff-ins such as board books, extra sweaters, and underwear for the three-year-old. I can offer a comparison with a certain other diaper bag that also clicks onto the stroller bar, a back-pack diaper bag, and a plain old tote. And finally, I can answer the question of whether the chicness of the love stroller tote can overcome the spit-up-spotted, Halfway House clothing and bleary-eyed state of a mother of a five-month-old ( and three-year-old). And I promise not to leave it outside for the squirrels.

Okay, so let me attempt to portray one undying need for the stroller tote. My husband is a high school teacher and the income isn't great(need i say more). I have a 2 1/2 year old and a 4 month old baby. Before this new baby arrived I had no diaper bag. That is right ladies, no diaper bag! It is sad to say that I felt other things were more important to purchase. Instead I would arrive at Park day with all the other mom's carrying a plastic bag from the grocery store. I know the shame!!!! Everything was just thrown into it; juice cup(which spilled over everything), crackers, diapers, wipes, oh and let's not forget my wallet and keys and make-up! What a complete mess it was. I would sort through it trying not to look over at the super stylish mom's that had a compartment for everything! I was coveting their diaper bag! I would then pull out my daughter's bag of crackers which had lipstick and juice on it and tell her to "run along". I know it sounds a little pitiful.

So when my new baby was about to be born. I saved up my own money buy selling my "skinny clothes" on e-bay and splurged on an awesome diaper bag...or so I thought! Now here is why I should really have a chance to test your Stroller Tote...My Trendy new diaper bag could not and would not fit on or in my Sit and Stand stroller that I had for my two kids. There was no place to hang it or store it. I was devastated and have now spent the last 4 months having my huge diaper bag sit on the seat my 2 1/2 year old was supposed to sit or stand. You heard me right my baby is in the front of the stroller and the huge diaper bag sits in the back seat, while my daughter walks. Isn't that pathetic?? I would love to get back to having both daughters in the stroller. Please let me try out your awesome, stylish Stroller Tote!

Okay, so here's why I would love love love to find myself the proud owner of a Dante Beatrix tote-- specifically the pewter metallic baby bag...

I'm a mom, mother to two adorable kids. Lewis is 4 months, and Mose is 22 months, and I'm zonked (of course). But that's not the problem.

The problem is that I'm also a writer, with a lot of meetings to attend that are far fancier/more professional than my general spitup-shirt & old maternity pants ensembles make sense for. Which makes me feel really cruddy and sad. There I am, dragging my little ones to places they don't really fit in, in an effort to maintain a professional life and some kind of income. And I look anything BUT professional.

But the saddest part of the ensemble is my baby bag. Which is the plastic enfamil bag (I didn't even use the product) that they gave me in the hospital. Sometimes I switch it out with my ever-so-chic free canvas bag from a conference I attended back before I had kids. The canvas bag is cuter, but it tends to smell if I put anything... um... used in it. Both make me feel like a shlub.

And of course I'd buy a nicer bag, but I have two "perfectly good" bags. Which is to say that they aren't full of holes and "still work." And with my husband in school full time (on top of his job), and me not working much, we do NOT have extra money for nice bags.

So, the pewter-metallic bag is just perfect, just PERFECT for carrying diapers, and also looking fancy (and big enough for a folder and notebook) on those occasions when I need to look like a writer, in addition to a mom.

A chic, hip writer, who is on top of everything...

I'd test it. Test it to death!

Laurel Snyder

I would love either bag being that I don't have one for my daughter...we just throw eveything in a walmart bag and head out the door...So please choose me...

My skip hop bag is looking tough. There are juice and mystery stains all over it. I'm not sure but I think raisins, cheerios and milk make a type of glue strong enough to withstand space travel. Test it? Anything that comes near my 2-year old son is tested for durability and stain resistance properties(including people, animals, and anything that isn't bolted down). I doubt my darling Jude cares about whether his diaper bag is stylin but Mamma could sure use something new and pretty!