Last Mother's Day, I got this
Schwinn Gateway I'd been itching for at Target. And since last Mother's Day I had also just recently had a baby, I have only had one chance to ride it. That being the day we brought it home when I gave it a spin up the street.
image from target.com
But this summer, Hez is old enough to ride on the bike with me and I can't wait to get it out! I also can't wait to add a few things! Like this handmade wood porter crate. Gorgeous! The price is $125, and it's easy to see it's worth it for the craftsmanship. And it can hold a latte. Mmm. Not that I've got $125 lying around, but I can dream!
image from etsy.com seller onemorebike
And of course
Hez is going to need a proper seat...and we're waiting for the UPS truck to deliver it (and his new
baby helmet!)! I've been reading reviews on this
WeeRide Kangaroo Child Bike Seat. It's priced under $50, so around the same as the traditional back mounting child seats. But I like the idea of him riding in front. I think getting him strapped in and taking him out would feel a lot more natural with him in front when you are balancing a bike, as opposed to awkwardly turning to get him in/out. I could be totally wrong though, I've never put a baby in a bike seat before! But I love that he would have such a fun view and I like that there's a little spot for him to put his arms up on. If you click on the link there's a cute picture of a little kid asleep, pretty funny.
image from amazon.com
I have two concerns with the front mount though. I know by comments that it does force you to petal slightly awkward because the seat is obviously somewhat wider than where your knees would normally be. And also the back support. If you recall most traditional bike seats, the "shell" of the backrest goes all the way up past the
child's neck. Which I like, extra protection in case of a fall. A five point harness is a must for me though. Which both this front mounted and most back mounted ones I see have. I'm anxious to see how it'll work for us!
Consensus? He cried. At first. But who really wants to wear a big funny helmet with a paci decal that says "I love mom" on it? I'm not one to complain about a decal promoting myself, but I do get that the helmet can be a bother. Hence the lack of one on my own head... I am planning to pull the little paci and other decals off and replace them with something cooler though. 
But once we got to riding, he started to figure out that it was a pretty cool little set up. Sit back, relax and enjoy the view while I do all the work. And so far I am pretty happy with the front mount bike seat for him. It is slightly awkward to pedal, but not enough to really care. I'm not planning to race with him or anything, so for around town leisure rides it will do quite nicely! 
