mothers & family | first person

Adventures with a
stroller

By SHAWNA FEDEROFF, PHOTOS BY WILLIAM VASTA

SPRING brings a nice, clear day to Rancho Cucamonga and I get the brilliant idea to take my 10-month-old daughter, Mia, to Victoria Gardens for some fresh air and a little shopping. I make a few quick preparations for the diaper bag and pick the best stroller for the job.

Stroller choice is a matter of purpose and parental personality. The jogging stroller has a sporty look and rides like a Cadillac. Its large wheels, however, paired with my two left feet and narrow shopping aisles, will surely leave tire tracks on unsold clothing.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is the umbrella stroller — lightweight and compact for speed and efficiency. But for me and my little one, it is too minimal and rigid for an extended, leisurely day.

The standard stroller with its cup holders, large storage capacity, cushy seat and tight turning radius is my happy medium. I gather up Mia and we head to the Vic.

After claiming an open spot on the top level of the parking structure, I unpack the trunk, unfold the stroller, swing on the diaper bag, stow my purse and hand Mia her favorite stroller toy. At the car next to mine, a family is going through all of the same motions — except they are setting up for three with a double-wide and an umbrella one-seater. I smile at the happy stroller brigade and carry on.

We stroller-pushing parents have an unspoken language in smiles. A warm smile greets a fellow club member; a smile and half-giggle in a challenging situation says, “I see you are a skilled juggler too!” Approaching Chaffey Square, the heart of Victoria Gardens, I realize I am one in a world of a hundred strollers. The place looks like Stroller Disneyland.

There are so many strollers cruising the sidewalks, you would think that 60 percent of the population of Rancho Cucamonga is toddlers. I checked; only 6.9 percent of the population is younger than 5.

So what is it about Victoria Gardens that draws a concentration of parents and young children? Easily, it’s the beautifully designed sidewalks and landscaping, the mini-park and water attraction, restaurants that cater to kids and fantastic shopping for those multi-taskers.

Strollers of all varieties line Chaffey Square’s spacious, grassy lawn while kids run freely and tap into that infinite, youthful energy. It turns out that onlookers are not just moms and dads, they also are grandparents, extended family and friends.

While I picture the fun Mia would have with such freedom, she is not yet up and running, so I veer left and head into Naartjie (Nar-chee) children’s clothing store. My ungraceful entry into the shop inspires a wish for a third arm. Coordinating two opposite directions, with one hand on the door and one on the stroller handle, unsteadies my balance and I bump the stroller into each side of the doorway. Mia gets jiggled around like she’s in a bumper car, but she doesn’t seem to mind.

Once inside the store, I brush away my disheveled hair and catch my breath. The shop girl stretches her head over the counter, “Awwww, hi baby!” Her sweet greeting puts me back on track.

My next stop is Pinkberry for a treat. I figured I’ve earned it after the gymnastics I did trying to get in and out of the last shop. This is the perfect snack for a stroll — cool, healthy, easy to eat and it fits in my cup holder. Mia is not quite ready for a Pinkberry of her own, so she gets puffed fruit snacks in her tray. She sits up straight, grabs onto the seat tray and rides as if to feel the breeze blowing through her fine hair.

Crossing over Chaffey Square on the return to my car, I feel the stroller riding bumpy over the raised bricks and remember when Mia was a newborn. We actually made an effort to ride over the bricks because they would lull her to sleep and give both of us a much needed break.

Chaffey Square draws the stroller crowd for a lot of reasons: the water park, an ice cream parlor and most of the children’s shops at Victoria Gardens. The folks at California Pizza Kitchen on the northeast corner of the square had the foresight to create stroller parking in their entry. Very clever.

Walking back to the parking structure, I realize there is one shop missing from Victoria Gardens: a stroller boutique.