holy genius! : traveling toddler car seat stroller

don't you love when a $15 item solves all of your travel problems? well, traveling toddler makes this simple little strap that safely attaches your toddler car seat to a rolling piece of carry-on luggage.

i am here to say that i have used it, and it works!!!  and it's easy--wahoo!

i attached it curbside at the airport while glancing at the instructions in about 20 seconds.  your LATCH clips clip right onto it.

if you're going on vacation and want to bring your car seat, you have to buy this!  if you need a stroller for your destination, maybe just buy a really lightweight one like this or this.   believe me, carrying a small umbrella stroller over your shoulder through a terminal is much easier than a bulky car seat....

then, just check the car seat and stroller at the gate!  if you're worried about them getting messed up under the plane, get a couple of these for $13 each.

best baby gates

geez, there are so many baby gates on the market.  where do you start?  well, fortunately, you have my ocd ass over here pouring over them all....

for basic doorways : these (photo above) are awesome...you can be hands-free by just stepping on a pedal ($54)!  and no screws involved.

for large doorways or archways, try a combo of these ($89+) :

for odd-shaped spaces...we use one around the fireplace, try these ($129+):

car seats : keep 'em rear-facing to age 4!!

there's something kind of exciting about turning your kid's car seat around to face forward (once they fall within the 20lbs/one-year-old previously recommended guidelines)...i know, what can i say...simple pleasures.  there is this hope that he will be more amused, and in turn, more content with long car rides.

well, i have been hearing mixed messages about this and apparently some compelling information is coming out saying that car seats should remain rear-facing until age 4.  read more here.

photo via here.

cops should be handing out tickets for texting while strolling....

ok, yes.  i have been known to send a text or two.  but really?  can i not wait until after i take my kid out for a walk to do my texting?   well, for those of you that cannot break free, here is your knew favorite stroller accessory ---- and for only $24.95.  it's the text hook.

just try to keep your eyes on the sidewalk....

scary, they even recommend it for bicyclers.

photo via here.

great downsize from the diaper bag.

i remember first seeing a diaper clutch and thinking, "what?  what the hell am i going to fit in this thing?"  well, now that my son has passed the mark of needing tons of stuff in a diaper bag, i am all about the clutch.   i love being able to grab something really compact that has a diaper or 2 and some wipes in it---and that's it!!

the "diaper ditty" (which folds into a rectangular clutch) is on sale for $15 right now at bella tunno.  you may have seen them before at baby gap for $34.

photo courtesy of bellatunno.com

great site for chemical info in toys and baby gear

i wish i had known about this site, healthystuff.org, when i was shopping for a car seat.  they have a thorough database of baby and children's toys, car seats, and more (including cars, adult fashion, and pet products).  for each of these items, healthy stuff lets you know what the chemical are present and what their levels are.  there is also health info on the chemicals.  check it out!

great splurge toddler gift that can last years...

little ones go crazy for bikes, so why not get them one that's just their size?  kettler makes an awesome trike that kids can start riding at the age of 1 on up through the age of 5 (granted, they say "designed for 18 months to 5 years", but our tall 1-year-old loves his).  the size is adjustable, and you can even add on a tandem seat so a sibling or friend can ride!

the kettler air navigator (photo above) is their top of the line trike for $220. they also have a cool go green trike (photo below) for $70 that's made of recycled plastic and steel (yea!).

many of the trikes have a front pedal and steering lock for wee ones who just want to be pushed.  purchase the footrest if neccessary for these little riders.

with the push bar attached, these trikes are a great alternative to a stroller in a safe environment.

if you'd like to see a side by side comparison of the features of trikes kettler offers click here.

be sure to buy any of the following accessories your trike may need:

push bar
seatbelt
foot rest (for little feet that cannot reach pedals)
bell

need a green playpen?

if you're searching for a playpen option that is not plastic, you may want to check out herlag by kettler's collapsible wooden options.  if you're not familiar with herlag (distributed by kettler in the u.s.), they are a german company that has been around since 1883.  i tend to gravitate toward their products when given chance as they are more on the green side.

playpens are great for allowing mom and dad to be handsfree once baby starts moving around (4-7 months, onward).  ours has become like an island in our kitchen that i can roll onto the back deck too.

the solid beechwood playpen comes in two shapes/sizes:

48"x 48" square
42" x 50" hexagon (not collapsible)

to see photos and more info click here.
best prices click here.  or search locally on craigslist.

positives:
not plastic
large with more open sides than plastic playpen
base has 3 height adjustments
wheels roll or lock
use inside or out
collapsible (not available in hexagonal style)

negatives:
*base is made of "safe" chipboard (read more at asterisk below)
base is covered in foam and vinyl
padding options are semi-hideous

how i got around negatives:
buy plywood made with non-toxic glues and make own base.
cover plywood base with natural latex foam, or other padding, and heavy canvas fabric.
make own removable canvas cover sheet.  bumper pads negotiable--only necessary for catching escaping toys and limbs (until baby is more in control, around 6 months-ish).

in los angeles, richard jebejian 310 854 4450 accomodates all of my crazy green upholstery requests (including the ones above) and can source the green components including non-toxic plywood, natural latex, and organic fabrics.

*kettler's national sales manager sent me the following info re the formaldehyde in the chipboard/mdf base, for what it's worth: "The material used is a Standard E1 Chipboard. The amount of free formaldehyde in 100 g. is below 8 mg. therefore achieving the highest world standards."

alternative highchair that travels!

if you're not that psyched about plastic baby items taking over your home, here is a product that will make you happy.  it's the handysitt child's chair.  a 5.8 lb wooden booster seat for $89 that can easily attach to a chair at your table or a restaurant's or grandma's. isn't it nice to be able to have your child join you right up at the table?  age range is for kids 9 months to 4.5 years. there is also an attachable back leg option (for additional purchase), if you'd like to make it stand alone at some point.

for more photos and info on this general style of seat, check out the higher end product for $149 from minui. it's on amazon here.

invest in an exercise ball for labor and baby naps...

honestly, we use our exercise ball about 100 times more than we have ever used our rocker in the nursery (maybe all we really needed was a dresser in there, since we don't use our crib either).   the ball is great for gently bouncing baby to sleep.   since i have "the boob", i usually do not need to bounce my son to sleep, but my husband and babysitters do for every nap.

some may worry about babies developing an addiction to having to be bounced in order to fall asleep, but babies actually need bouncing (and swinging, etc) in order to develop their very important vestibular system---the system in the inner ear that controls their sense of movement and balance.  read more here.

the ball can also come in handy when you are in labor---my doula tells funny stories of running through hospital hallways with a gigantic ball to her clients' births.  you can lie on it with your chest and gently hug it in order to take the weight off of your back and belly.  also, in early labor, just sitting and bouncing is helpful.

something to make your life a little easier as a new mom...

sorry, no, it's not a home-delivered male masseuse or a personal chef for a year. but it is kind of cool...it's a clock that projects the time up onto your bedroom ceiling. if you do bed-sharing, these are particularly fantastic, because you can easily see the time without getting a crick in your neck uncomfortably twisting your head around to see your bedside clock. constantly checking the time becomes somewhat of a pattern if you are still feeding/breastfeeding at night in order to keep tabs on how often baby is eating.

these are atomic clocks which means they synchronize the time with a base station twice a day. plus, many of them come with features like indoor or outdoor temperature (projected) and humidity levels. they project in large red or blue 6" numbers. love, love, love it....

this tiny digital video cam rules!

in an attempt to actually view and share your family memories, instead of building a library of mini video tapes, you have to get this little camcorder.  it's smaller than an iphone and can hold 120 minutes of raw unadulterated baby action.

the best part is that even the wifey (me) can figure it out.

hit red button to turn on.
hit red button to turn off.
zoom in.
zoom out.
hit play to watch.
laugh.

last, you click the button on top of it and, a usb arm pops out that goes right into the usb port on your computer.  next thing you know, your kid is the most downloaded star on youtube (btw, we found that 2 min max videos upload quickest)!

most of the best kid moments happen when you least expect it.  have this little cam in your back pocket to capture all the goodness.....

"is that thing safe?"

i can't tell you how many people have asked me that question about this little clip-on chair that we take to restaurants. i am always devilishly tempted to answer "no", but instead just sort of smile and nod, confused.

restaurant highchairs can be kind of icky. or sketchy. or non-existent. but there's an awesome little clip-on chair by the kiwi company phil and ted's (which is always followed by the voice in my head uttering "party on dude") that will make your life easier at meals out with your baby or toddler up to 3 years old/40 lbs.

this little fabric chair clips on the table to keep pee-wee right next to you and happy instead of squirmy and bummed out down in his stroller. the chair collapses to the size of a trapper keeper and weighs about 2 pounds. it's great for your home dining table too!!