Maxi Cosi : Maxi Cozy :-)

Moms, Does your baby LOVE their car seat?

Mine does! Lucy thinks her Maxi Cosi Mico is the best and so do I! As with everything I buy for my little Lucy, I researched the heck out of car seats. I decided to go with the Maxi Cosi Mico for several reasons.

First and foremost, safety! The Mico is designed with safety as a top priority; it has a 5-point harness and uses energy absorbing EPP foam in the design. When Lucy was really little we used the Cosi-Dozi insert (included) which helps support little babies' heads making it extra safe for your new born!

Second, it works with the Quinny Buzz Stroller. This is my favorite feature. You just take the Mico out of the car and pop it right on the stroller frame and away you go! So easy. It was great for walks and going to the mall. My baby Lucy was born in the winter, so we had the Muff installed in the Mico. It is like a tiny sleeping bag for your baby! So warm and cozy!!


Another reason I chose the Mico was for the design. I am and artist and a sucker for good design. The Mico is very sleekly designed and comes in great color combos. Love me a sexy looking car seat! ;-)

The Mico is also really easy to get in and out of the car. It has a base that you install in the backseat of your vehicle and you click the Mico on and off. Be sure to swing by Ding Bats and have Nicole install the base for you, so you know its secured properly. Nicole at Ding Bats is certified in proper car seat installation.


These are just some of the top reasons why I selected the Maxi Cosi Mico. Remember to research thoroughly before you buy any car seat and choose the one that is the best suited for you!

Note: this recall was issue LAST year. There have been no further problems!

*Important* There currently is a recall on some of the Mico base produced during a certain time period (see below.) My bases were not effected by this, so I have no complaints, but it was responsible of me to include this anyway:

Dorel is recalling the child restraints because of attachment difficulties between the infant carrier and the base. If the carrier is improperly mounted to the base, the child could be injured in the event of a crash. The affected models include the Maxi-Cosi Mico infant child restraint systems, models 22-371 and 22-372, and Maxi-Cosi Mico infant child restraint system - base only, model 22-515, produced from July 2007 through February 17, 2008.

Dorel will replace the Mico base free of charge. For more information, owners may contact the company’s customer service department at 1-877-657-9546 or http://www.djgusa.com/

Megan: Super Friend!

So... my dear friend, Megan, is totally amazing! She just gave blog shout! (Did I just make that phrase up? Ha!) She has a great blog and, I must admit, was the inspiration for starting my blog! Go check her out!!

Thank you SO much for the kind words and cute pics! Here's Megan and Lucy :

Pool Time!

Lucy is such a water baby! She loves being in the pool, especially with her daddy! It is so fun to watch her try and figure out her little frog kicks. Here's a couple pics to enjoy!

Dear Crystal,

Crystal asked some great questions on my last blog, so I thought I would answer them here for everyone to read! Thanks for the questions, Crystal!

I use my Quinny EVERYWHERE!! It has been in the rain, the mud, the sand, and even the snow. It still works great! The wheels are really easy to take on and off and the trick is to clean AND dry them quickly after getting them really dirty. I just put mine in the sink and rinse them off. Dry them with an old towel and them spray them with a silicone spray (you can get some at a hardware store, like Home Depot.) Then I just put the wheels back on. Super easy!!

I got my Quinny from Ding Bats, a local boutique. On the Quinny website, there is a place where you can find a Quinny dealer near you. Here's the link. The Quinny Buzz 3-Wheel Stroller is $579.99. The Buzz 4-Wheel Stroller is $629.99. I have the Buzz 3-Wheel, the 4-Wheel was not available when I got mine. But I like the 3-Wheel, I think it is really easy to maneuver.

I did use the baby basket (bassinet) attachment! Quinny calls it the Dreami Cot. Lucy did not really like just riding around in it while awake, but it was great for naps! I'd put her in it while she was napping and go for a walk. It was also great as a bed-on-the-go for when we were at my grandparents house or traveling. When Lucy was 4 months, we went to San Diego. I took the DreamiCot and that is what she slept in every night. It was great! For the most part she was in her Maxi Cosi Mico Car Seat, which she loved to ride around in. She still uses the Mico in the car. I will blog about Maxi Cosi soon. I think its great!

In the Quinny, she is now in the big kid seat! She still sits facing toward me but is not reclined any longer. You can put little babies in the big kid seat, if it is reclined, but we always just used the car seat. One of the things I liked most about the Quinny is all the different options for seating. Car seat, DreamiCot, big kid facing you, big kid facing out... Soon Lucy will be facing forward. She's getting so big!

It is so expensive to buy all these things for your baby. However, I feel like it was all really great investments. I can't really put a price on keeping my baby safe and I feel very comfortable that the products I chose for her are the best! Like I have said, I did a TON of research before deciding on anything and I feel like I made the right choices! We are very happy with all of the products we have, that's why I want to share them all with you guys!!!!

Good Luck, Crystal! I hope this helps you make a good, informed decision!

Irish Twins!

Well, the cat is out of the bag! Kyle and I are expecting our second little bundle of joy! A bit sooner than expected, but all the more fun! The little ones will be 13 months apart, Irish Twins! Eek! I certainly will have my hands full.

Its very exciting, overwhelming, and crazy all at the same time!! We could not be happier! Any moms out there with Irish twins?

So, I have been doing some research on neat things for babies (multiple) as I will be having two little babies next year. I found a great double stroller and can't wait to get it and try it out! Do any of you have this double?

Easy Walker Duo
So as you have read, I love my Quinny stroller because of all the options that come with it. Well, the Duo has the same. Lucy will be in her big girl stroller and will face forward. The new baby will mostly be in its car seat, facing me. The Duo is great because it works with my Maxi Cosi Car Seat! It also has a Bassinet attachment (as shown) which is great for traveling and naps! Nicole at Ding Bats has ordered the black Duo for us, it will be here in Septemeber! YAY!!

My Guilty Pleasure!

Moms, whats your guilty pleasure?

So, I love chips. I could eat chips and salsa everyday for the rest of my life and be completely happy. I try not to eat them very much because of all the salt, but if I am around them there's no stopping me! Mmmm... Now I really want some chips and salsa! Ha!

Okay, so the point of my post is that I found a great new chip that's really not that bad for you! Greatest day of my life (not really, but maybe...) You have to try them out! I got them from Whole Foods. Behold, Food Should Taste Good: Multigrain Chips!

"Flax, sunflower and sesame seeds add to the distinctively nutty flavor, making this chip a wholesome, perfect snack to be enjoyed on its own or dipped into your favorite hummus."

I like it with homemade guacamole or Clint's Salsa. Don't even get me going on Clint's. OMG, best salsa ever, period.

The chips are light and not too salty, just delish! And they are pretty healthy, too! A serving of FSTG Multigrain Chips has the same nutritional value as a serving of Grape Nuts (Thanks, mom! So wise.)

Food Should Taste good makes several different flavors of chips: Jalapeno, Olive, Chocolate, the Works, Buffalo, Sweet Potato, Lime, Potato & Chive, Cinnamon, and Yellow Corn. So far I have tried the Mulitgrain, Jalapeno, Sweet Potato, and Chocolate. They were all good, but Multigrain was the best!

ENJOY!!!!

Quick Thanks!

Thanks to those who have visited my blog! And a extra special thanks to those who have left comments!!!

I really want this blog to become a tool for modern moms to find great new products, learn new things, and share their own tips and tricks! So keep it coming, I really appreciate it!

-Jessica

Teething should be outlawed!

Moms: Whats your best teething trick?

Boy, oh boy! We have two teeth and more coming in! So we have been trying some different tricks to help easy the pain. Here's a few things that seem to be helping:

RazBerry Teether
This has been great! The RazBerry is shaped just like a pacifier, so you baby will be comfortable with it in their month. The binky part is raised, bumpy, and slightly hard; it feels great on the baby's sore gums. We sometimes stick it in the freezer fo a few minutes to chill it down for extra relief of sore gums! Lucy just chews and chews on hers!



Sophie the Giraffe
Sophie is my hero! Lucy just LOVES this little giraffe. We can't leave the house without it. It is made with 100% Natural Rubber which is phthalates free and decorated with food quality paint. So it is completely safe for your little one to chew away on! It also squeaks when squeezed, Lucy figured that one out immediately! "Lovable and amusing, she makes a happy sound when her body is squeezed: Stimulate baby's hearing and helps him to understand the link between cause and effect. She is perfect for soothing Baby's sore gums when teething." I have to say that Sophie is a must! If you don't have her yet, get her today!



Angel Dear Blankie
So cute! And so great on sore gums! The corners of this blankie are sewn into little "nubs" that your baby can chew on. There are also 5 "nubs"down the middle of the blankie for extra chewing fun! We dip the "nubs" in water and put the blankie in the freezer for a few minutes. The "nubs" get nice and cold and it feels great on Lucy's gums. Don't leave it in the freezer too long, you don't want the "nubs" get too frozen!


And of course, we can't live with out Orajel and infant Tylenol. Lucy likes the Soothing Cucumber Orajel , the Nighttime Formula Orajel, and Grape flavored Tylenol. We store the Orajel in the fridge so it is extra cold and soothing when we put it on Lucy's gums!

Moms, do you have any tips of tricks for teething?

Green Beans!

Moms: Whats your favorite baby food recipe?

Tonight we made little Lucy delicious, fresh green beans with mint from my garden! She LOVED them!

Here's the recipe:

2 c. of fresh green beans
1 T. of fresh spearmint

Clean the green beans well in warm water. Snap off the ends and discard. Snap the beans in half and put in your Beaba BabyCook steam basket. Add 2 oz of water to the steam chamber and steam the beans. When the beans are cooked drain and keep the water. Put the cooked beans in the BabyCook blender and add the mint. Blend until smooth. Add the steamed water till desired consistency. Chill and serve!

Your baby will thank you!

The Great Diaper Debate!

Moms: What are your favorite diapers?

I've tried them all, literally all of them! Name a brand of diapers, and I have tried them! Huggies, Pampers, Luvs, Generic brand, Organic, Biodegradable... I've got the low down on diapies. Here are some reviews on some of the hits and misses:

Miss: Generic Brand

The Baby Brand diapers from Babies R Us certainly have the best price tag out there. There are much cheaper than any of the name brand diapers! However, we did not have any luck with them. They didn't move well with Lucy and they LEAKED! Nothing is worse than getting peed on while your baby is sitting on your lap. Well... maybe getting pooed on and that happened too! Gross.

Miss: Luvs

Better than Baby Brand, but still not leak proof! Good value; cheaper than both Huggies and Pampers. However, they seemed to get hard in the seat when wet which caused leakage and I imagine wasn't very comfy for Lucy! Never had poo come out the side of these, but I got peed on a few times :-(

Miss: Earth's Best

So, the great thing about Earth's best is that they are completely non-toxic! They are organic, chlorine & salt free, they don't use genetically engineered ingredients, and they're even kosher! However, like the others, we had leakage problems with them. They didn't seem to fit Lucy quite right. Price wise they are about the same as Pampers.

Hit: Huggies

Finally! A better diaper! Good value and better leakage protection. Huggies fit well and remained soft and flexible. Not as expensive a Pampers, more expensive than Luvs. They have good leak protection, however it is not the best. Still had some accidents! But if price is an issue, Huggies is your best bet! Best for the value.

Hit: gDiaper

This is just an amazing idea! And it work pretty well too! The gDiaper is a flushable, biodegradable, disposable/cloth diaper combo. Here's how it works: there are 2 layers to this diaper system; the disposable insert and the cloth cover. The insert is flushable and biodegradable in less than 3 months (compared to 300 yrs for regular disposable diapers!!) Go GREEN! They work pretty well too! Leakage is minimal for pee, poo was a little trickier! If it was a big one or loose it came right out the sides! Then it gets all over the cloth cover too, ew! The inserts clogged our toilets a couple times so we ended up just throwing them away (they biodegrade so quickly, anyway!) You do have to buy a new kit everytime your baby changes sizes so the cloth cover will fit. Price is slightly more expensive than Pampers. We liked gDiapers, but in the end they just weren't very convenient.

Winner: Pampers

Pampers were the big winners for us! Naturally, the most expensive disposable... Unbeatable leakage protection! Never have had a problem with leakage here. They are soft and flexible; they actually move with Lucy as she scoots and crawls around. By far the most superior of all the other brands we tried. I just wish they were more green...


I would love to say that I am a super mom and everything I do for Lucy is safe for both her and the environment. However, I am only human and convenience won out for me! So we use Pampers and try to make up for it in other ways like recycled paper towels and green cleaning products. All in all, you will spend a bit more but not being peed and pooed on is definitely worth it!

NOTE: These are my opinions and I have not been compensated in anyway for them. I realize everyone has their own opinions on which diapers are the best... And I'd love to hear them :)

I just can't live without...

Moms: Whats on your "can't live without list?"

Here's a few on mine!

1. My Quinny BUZZ stroller

This is the greatest stroller EVER! Folded it is compact and light weight. Open it is small, sturdy, and easy to maneuver. Quinny is compatible with the Maxi Cosi CarSeat for easy traveling with an infant. There are several great attachments available for the Quinny: Dreami Cot Bassinet, Cup holder, Bug & Rain covers, and lots more. The "big kid" seat holds up to a 4 year old. I did a ton of research on strollers and a lot of comparison shopping; the Quinny was the BEST! I just love it! It also comes with a 1 yr warranty which is really helpful (especially with the airlines throw your stroller around :-( humph!)


2. My Kyoto HotSling

I LOVE my HotSling! This is the greatest way to carry your baby. It is so comfortable and my little Lucy loves to be in it. Its great for the grocery or doing little chores around the house. It is designed to distribute the baby's weight so you don't strain your back. It actually works! Often times, Lucy will fall asleep while I'm carrying her around in it because she's so comfortable! She can stay it in for a really long time and nap. Wonderful! They come in a variety of designs and there are even some for dads!

3. Lucy's Prince Lionheart BebePOD

Oh, this is a must! Similar to the ever popular Bumbo, the BebePOD is an awesome baby seat. It is a durable, non-toxic, soft, molded seat that promotes good posture in you baby. It has a knob attachment and a trey attachment. The trey comes with 2 removable, easy clean place mats and a Sassy! toy. Lucy loves to play in her POD. It works great a booster! We often use it as a portable high chair over at the grandparents house!

These are just a few of the baby products I can't live without! There is a long list of others :-) What are some of your "can't live without" products?

Move over Dr. Brown!

Moms: Have you switched to ThinkBaby yet?

With all the talk about BPA and other chemical in baby bottles, I decided to do some research on a new SAFE brand of bottles for little Lucy. I think I hit the jack pot with ThinkBaby!

Lucy had just a touch of colic and acid reflux, so finding the right bottle was definately a chore! I was on a mission and tried just about every bottle out there. I needed a bottle that would help with the reflux and colic as well as be BPA free.

After countless bottles and lots of $$, I finally stumbled upon ThinkBaby. Nicole, at my favorite baby store Ding Bats, suggested I give them a try. I just bought one, being the skeptic that I am, and tried it out for a few days. MAGIC! They were perfect. Lucy's mood improved and the reflux decreased drastically!

ThinkBaby bottles "use a medical grade type of plastic, which we have specifically formulated to be free of: PVC, BPA (bisphenol-A), nitrosamines, lead and phthalates. You will never find any of these chemicals in any part of our product lines. The anti-colic system is built into the silicone nipple. This means that there aren’t a bunch of parts to get lost or damaged. The single piece design also makes it easy to clean."

The nipples have a small air venting system that allows the bubbles to escape through the lid instead of going into your baby's tummy. "Patented venting system reduces incidence of gas and spit up. Venting systems have also been show to reduce the risk of middle ear infections."

Less gas = Happy babies!! I think these are great and they are definately on my "can't live without" list.

Genius!

Moms: Have you tried these yet?

Nourish Baby

"Nourish Baby is a formula-ready bottled water complete with 8 oz of purified water, volume measurements for accurate mixing with formula, a wide neck for adding formula, extra room for your formula and a baby bottle top. And the bottle is designed especially for comfortable feeding."

How cool are these? I think this is absolutely genius! I always get caught out needing to make a impromptu bottle and I'm forever worry about the quality of H2O out of the tap. What a great solution for busy moms on the go! I just ordered some and can't wait to try them out! I'll let you know how it goes...

Monster face!

I don't know where my precious little Lucy learned this, but it is just the funniest thing ever!


www.lsdphotos.com

www.lsdphotos.com

www.lsdphotos.com

Moms: you need this!

Have you gotten your Beaba BabyCook yet?

This is probably the greatest invention for moms, ever! My sweet little Lucy is just loving the yummy homemade baby food I've been making her. It is so easy and comes with everything you need, all you have to do is be creative with your recipes!

Last night we made a peach, mango, and raspberry feast for the little munchkin. She LOVED it!

2 peaches peeled
1 mango peeled
10 clean raspberries

Peel the peaches and mango and cut into small chunks. Put the peaches into the Beaba BabyCook and steam. When the peaches are done put them aside and steam the mango, and then the raspberries. When steaming is complete put the fruit in the Beaba BabyCook and blend well. Chill and serve!

The great thing about the Beaba is that it does all the work for you. Just add the correct amount of water to the steamer and it self times the perfect length of time for whatever you are steaming. Then just remove the steaming basket and blend!

Lucy just didn't like the store bought food and I thought i had a picky eater on my hands, but with the Beaba, she eats anything! She loves the fresh new flavors!!

You can get the Beaba BabyCook at Ding Bats on Cherry Street. Tell Nicole I sent ya :-)