Not Your Average Umbrella Stroller

Three months ago I was adamantly opposed to buying an umbrella stroller.  Before Kennedy arrived, I bought a heavy weight stroller that would fit her carseat, had a basinet, and a stroller seat; thus fitting her from birth through childhood.  I did not want to waste money on another stroller or get less use of my large one.  In February, I traveled solo to San Francisco with Kennedy via American Airlines (my Grandmother met us there), and before the trip I broke down and purchased an umbrella stroller (gate checking an expensive stroller seemed like a bad idea...airlines are ruthless).  I test strolled many different brands, read many reviews, decided on the Uppababy G-Luxe, and could not be happier with my purchase.  Although it has diminished my use of the heavy stroller, it has come in very useful for quick trips!

The Uppababy G-Luxe has almost every feature you could want in a stroller packaged in a super light and convenient 13 pounds.  

Great features:

• Reclining seat for optimal comfort
• Adjustable footrest
• Super quick & easy fold, and stands on its own
• Sunshade contains a UV50+ extendable screen to keep your child totally protected
• The fabric is stain and water resistant, and is oh so soft!
• Comes with a cup holder (great for my diet coke addiction)
• The handle bars are at a very comfortable height for both me (5'2) and my husband (6'1)

My only slight hang-ups about this stroller would be that the cup holder detaches fairly easily (I did not know this when gate checking and had to buy a new one), the foot break is rough on bare toes when releasing (crazy complaint but I wear sandals a lot), and in a perfect world there would be a snack tray accessory.  As you can see, I really had to dig deep to find a few areas for improvement!

Uppababy G-Luxe Stroller

Product Rating: ♛♛♛♛♛

Price: $219

Where to Find: From Buy Buy Baby, www.uppababy.com, and other online retailers

Fun at Home with Baby

You have about a million toys, but baby wants to play with the doorstop, the dog bowls, your cell phone, and anything else he or she can find that was not made by Fisher Price or V-Tech.  Even in those times that baby is content dumping all of the shaped blocks out of every basket in sight, it can be hard to engage and not zone out on Facebook (guilty).  Kennedy has been in Baby Sensory classes (wonderful and for a blog post to come!) since she was 4 months old and we have learned a lot about keeping baby's interest through their senses.  This has really sparked my intrigue on the subject and I have recently spent my time Pinteresting baby play (follow me @ksquared1009).  Below are a few great play ideas that I have learned through my research & classes!

Sensory Play Items:

• Feathers- Babies love being tickled by feathers and it is great for their sense of touch!
• Shakers and Bells- Great for a love of music
• Anything with Lights- Kennedy has a light up wand from Target (Party Favor Aisle, less than $3), she is obsessed (great for sense of sight)!
• Play with Cooked Spaghetti and Jello- So fun and great for baby's sense of touch
  
• Emergency Camping Blanket- This is an item I had never heard of before Baby Sensory class.  You can find them in a very small box in the camping aisle at Wal-Mart.  They cost about $5 and are hours of fun for baby.  The material is shiny, makes a lot of noise when moved, and is nearly impossible to rip (great for mom!).  Love this purchase!  Below is a picture: 

• Finger Painting- Kennedy has tried finger painting in the past, but it is very difficult when she is constantly trying to eat the paint.  I decided to be creative and make my own finger paint out of cool whip and it was fun for the whole family (especially Cash, our French Bulldog).  Kennedy loved getting messy, but I think she loved getting a shower with the water hose afterward even more!  
• To make the finger paint, I simply combined Cool Whip with gel food coloring to make a variety of colors.  Super simple, and of course, totally edible.  The Cool Whip also washes away easily, make clean up a snap!  See our fun photos below:

Starting our messy adventure!

Bright gel food coloring is so pretty!

But it kind of turns brown when mixed together...

Finally figured out that this is way more fun to eat than play with!

Cash thought it was pretty good too :)

Finally on the paper!

Clean baby!

Please leave a comment if you have any great ideas for baby play!  

The Safest Crib Mattress

When I chose Kennedy's original crib mattress, I actually didn't do a lot of research on the product.  I purchased her mattress from the same boutique that sold her crib; it was the only option they offered and they gave me a discount...Cha-Ching, SOLD!  I love my faux-Temperpedic (AngelBeds are the best!) and this was a memory foam crib mattress that was very reasonably priced, so I thought it must be a good buy.  This is very unlike me, but I didn't think much about it until I learned of the Nook Pebble.  After my mind had the knowledge that such a product existed, I have been haunted by my poor impulsive choice.  About two weeks ago, I finally decided to take the plunge and purchase the crib mattress of Kennedy's dreams and we both have slept more soundly ever since.

The Nook Pebble is the only mattress that is specifically designed for maximal airflow through the product (traditional mattresses do not allow airflow).  Airflow allows for better temperature regulation and deeper sleep, which is critical for development.  SIDS is associated with asphyxiation and low level toxins, a fact that Nook took into careful consideration; designing their products to provide more ventilation and quality materials thus helping to reduce this risk.  The Pebble Lite is comfortable, non-toxic, and comes with a breathable mattress cover that is machine washable and is available in a variety of colors.  The Pebble Pure offers the same great advantages but with the added security of being 100% organic (the core is made of coconut!).

My thoughts on the mattress?  Maybe it is just a coincidence, but I have had to wake Kennedy up from at least 6 naps over the past two weeks (otherwise she would mess up bedtime/other nap).  She has also consistently napped for at least an hour and a half at each of these naps, whereas her naps were more consistently around 1 hour in the past.  As I said, this may simply be a coincidence or a change in her natural rhythm, but it definitely provokes my curiosity!

www.nooksleep.com

Nook Pebble Lite Mattress

Product Rating: ♛♛♛♛♛

Price: $295

Eco Option?: Yes, Nook Pebble Pure with Coconut and Latex Foam Core, $395

Where to Find: Diapers.com, MyStrollers.com, Baby Earth, Right Start, and other online retailers

Quick Tip!: MyStrollers.com offers many coupon codes that can be found by simply Googling the phrase "My Strollers Coupon Code."  I got 15% off and free shipping with the code LUCKY15 :)!

Infant Carseats & Accessories

Carseats are a lifesaver (no pun intended) when it comes to the safety of your baby, child, and in recent years young adult.  Although they are (very!) necessary, the lack of carseats in my life is actually one of the things I miss most about my life pre-baby.  Kennedy hates getting in her carseat (I envy moms whose babies will sleep in the car), it takes at least 2-3 minutes to buckle her in properly, 2-3 minutes to get her out, making any "quick" errand seem like slight torture.  Running into the post office to simply drop off a letter or pick up a package is a grueling task, and one that is usually put off as long as possible.  Despite the negatives, I have come to accept this as a fact of life when having a baby and know that this too shall pass.

A good infant car seat should easily remove from its base and be as light as is safely possible (baby weight + car seat weight= back pain).  I considered many brands, but chose a Graco Snugride 35 for our house, and a Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 30/30 for my parent's house in Colorado.  I did a lot of research on these two carseats, and chose the Graco for home use mainly because it was compatible with my stroller (a very important detail!).  I also considered Maxi Cosi and Orbit carseats.  The Orbit would have been my ideal choice, however, Orbit carseats are only compatible with Orbit strollers and this system did not appeal to me.  One tip: buy an extra carseat base for your spouse's car (and maybe your mom/babysitter/nanny too), it will make your life much easier!  

The Graco Snugride 35 is the most popular infant carseat sold currently.  It is very reasonably priced, has a good safety rating, and is readily available.  I am not a huge fan of this seat; it is very wide and would not fit well into many smaller vehicles.  Because of the width, it also will not fit in an upside-down high chair, which many restaurants use to "prop" carseats to the table.  The belts are not easy to adjust to baby's size, the shade is a little flimsy, and the LATCH system (installation mechanism) is not the best.  After saying all of this, I do not dislike this carseat enough to justify spending $200-$300 on a different one, but I would have made a different choice in hindsight.

Graco SnugRide 35

Product Rating: ♛♛

Price: $139-$179

Eco Option?: No

Where to Find: From Babies 'R Us, Buy Buy Baby, and most baby gear retailers

Peg Perego is an Italian brand that has recently become popular in the United States.  The Primo Viaggio 30/30 is a great carseat and lacks many of the issues that I encountered with the Graco.  The LATCH system on this seat is top notch and very easy to install (my favorite feature), the shade is a little more durable, and the belts can be adjusted a bit easier.  The fabric on this carseat is also much more breathable, making for a more comfortable baby.  My biggest drawback with this carseat is that it is a bit heavier than the Graco, and although 1.3 pounds is not a lot of difference, it is definitely noticeable when toting a 6 month old baby.

Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 30/30

Product Rating: ♛♛♛♛

Price: $249-$319

Eco Option?: No

Where to Find: From BuyBuyBaby, some Babies R Us locations, and many online retailers

Must Have Accessories for Infant Carseats:

Padalily Car Seat Handle Cushion:  This is an ultra plush cushion that wraps around the handle of the carseat, making it more comfortable to carry.  Padalily car seat cushions are reversible, and contain two loops for hanging toys. $24.99/each, available at Buy Buy Baby and other retailers.

Carseat toys:  Many companies make carseat toys which can be hung from the handle (or Padalily!) to keep baby's interest when driving.  

Brica Day & Night Light Musical Mirror: A Child View Mirror is a such a simple invention that is so helpful.  These mirrors are hung from the headrest in the back seat of the vehicle and allow the driver to see baby from the rearview mirror (hopefully you are still following me).  The mirror also allows baby to see themselves and keeps their interest for at least a few minutes of any ride.  The Brica Day & Night Musical Mirror is great because it has a light that illuminates the mirror at night.  The light is controlled by a remote (looks like a garage door opener) that turns the light or music on easily with the push of a button.  The music has been a great help at times with an upset Kennedy! $24.95, available at Target, Buy Buy Baby, Babies R Us, and many online retailers.

Kennedy in her Primo Viaggio, August 2012