Britax Boulevard CS Car Seat

After having searched high and low for the ULTIMATE car seat, my husband and I chose to buy the very popular and highly sough after Britax Boulevard CS car seat. We chose to get this brand because of the following reasons:

(1) 65-pound Weight Capacity - This was a huge benefit for us since our son was around the 90th percentile in weight for most of the first 9 months of his life. We knew that we could use this car seat for a long long time and we wouldn't have to worry at all about weight limits

(2) Comfortable - Too bad I couldn't actually sit and try the car seat out but I swear my son is super comfortable in this chair. He just FITS so well in it and looks like he has not a single problem in the world while he's riding in his Boulevard.

(3) Versa Tether - Gives paranoid over protective parents like myself a 2nd defense in case the car seat, the seat belts and other contraptions fail. The versa tether gives the car seat additional security and that matters ALOT!

(4) CS (Click Safe) harness adjuster - the great thing about the CS is that you don't have to spend time tightening and loosening the harness which is quite a pain for other car seats. You simply pull and hear the snap and you know your kid is in safe and snug. The CS makes it easy for parents on the GO!

We have had the car seat for almost 4 months now and we love it. The recline mode is helpful because the kids sit comfortable and can also lay slightly tilted to give them room and comfort for those long naps in car rides. We also like how many selections you have with the covers. I got the gray Boulevard car seat cover so it matched the inside of my car and it was also Uni-Sex so I can use it for all my future babies. LJ is my first so I was always looking for gear that was great and also adaptable for girls and boys.

One problem that I found with this (that was easily resolved) was the Assembly Instruction manual. The book that comes with the car seat might as well be tossed because the diagrams and step by step instructions are worthless. It's like the blind leading the blind. I do HIGHLY recommend watching the online demo's because it makes installing and learning about the Boulevard CS sooo easy and straightforward. Visit the following site: http://www.britaxusa.com/customer-service/user-guides for info on how to install (both rear and forward facing) the seat, how to use the versa thether, how to find the recline position (it took me watching the video to get this one!) and so much more!!

Honestly, I think this is a truley ALL around great car seat and worth the $300 price tag. If you search online, you can find great deals on this seat, sometimes much cheaper than you would in stores. Its also a good idea to wait and get the 15% off 1 item coupons for babies R us. At least its some type of a savings! I hope this review helps :) I give this product a WHOPPING 5 stars!!

Here is a photo of my beautiful boy Leonidus with his Boulevard CS seat:

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Recall Alert: Aqua-Leisure

http://www.aqualeisure.com/recall/

News from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, D.C. 20207
For Immediate Release Aqua Leisure’s Recall Hotline: (866) 807-3998
July 2, 2009 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
Release # 09-FOR CLEARANCE CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Aqua-Leisure Industries Recalls Inflatable Baby Floats Due to Drowning Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. (To access color photos of the following recalled products, see CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.)

Name of Product: Inflatable Baby Floats
Units: About 4 Million
Manufacturer: Aqua-Leisure Industries, of Avon, Mass.
Hazard: The leg straps in the seat of the float can tear, causing children to unexpectedly fall into or under the water, posing a risk of drowning.
Incidents/Injuries: There have been 31 reports of float seats tearing, causing children to fall into or under the water. No injuries have been reported.
Description: The recalled inflatable baby floats were sold in a variety of styles and colors. The names and model numbers are located on the packaging. A date between 08/02 and 07/08 is molded on the valves of recalled products. Products not included in the recall can be identified with the lettering “NP” molded on the valve. The following names and model numbers are included in this recall:

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Review: Hasbro Playskool Busy Ball Popper

When I first saw this product, I thought WOW, this is amazing. I think my son would totally get a kick out of it. After buying it, bringing it home and eagerly awaiting my husband to assemble it I was sad to see the toy did not live up to my expectations. We set the toy down and turned it on. First off, the toy makes this god awful sound, a cross between a fan and a engine. I thought, ok, I can get used to that. As soon as we put the BALLS into the toy, the started SPEWING out all over the place, none of them falling back into the route that they are designed to follow. It was awful. We had balls popping up left and right and rolling all over the room. Once all the balls were out, the machine kept running and there were no more balls for it to pop up. That was disappointing. Not to mention that we, My husband and I, had to frantically chase the balls around the living room. We also have hardwood floors so they were bouncing and going all over the place. We gave the toy about 15 more minutes and it sucked still, and got worse and worst.

I do not recommend this toy unless you want to chase balls and get some exercise The intentions of the toy is remarkable and I thought it would be fun but it was nothing near what I had expected.

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The BOB revolution Stroller Review

As a new mommy, I was overwhelmed by the number of choices that parent's had for baby joggers. I knew one thing was for certain and that was that I needed one. I had tried to run with my regular stroller and at the slighted increase in speed, the wheels would go out-of-control and the stroller would begin to shake. I knew I had to buy something for the summer because our family loves to hike, camp and do lots of outdoor walking on all sorts of terrain. Then came, the BOB...

There were lots of choices out there but the most riveting reason for buying the BOB Revolution was a nice sale I came across at REI. I found a HUGE bargain on the BOB revolution stroller @ REI.com. The stroller was marked 20% off. How could I resist? The stroller usually retails for $389 so this was a deal I could not pass up. I bought the chocolate and light blue stroller because it matched my diaper bag and could also be used as a unisex stroller should another bambino(a) join our growing family. Yes I think ahead.

As soon as I pushed the stroller, i felt an IMMEDIATE difference. It was like going from a old beat up mustang with no automatic steering to a brand new audi :) I fell in love. I did have one of my best friends (who's also a mom) buy it before me and that was also a huge selling point. MOM TIP: Always try gear, toys etc. that your mommy friends have. It is the best place to get a test drive with items before buying them!!

Like all strollers, I had a hard time learning the INS and OUTS of the BOB REVOLUTION stroller. Not because it was any harder to figure out but because I'm gear-challenged and have a hard time reading instructions. After a couple of times of trial-by-fire, I figured out how to fold, unfold, dewheel and much more.

The BOB revolution stroller also offers a lot of good accessories. Here are just a few:

Handlebar Console (VERY COOL. I bought one)


Diaper bag that matches... I didn't buy this but I thought I'd share it with you all


there are more. Go to the following link to see the infant car seat holder, a warm fuzzy seat add-on and more!! http://www.bobgear.com/accessories/access_strollers.php

There are many of PRO's and CON's to the BOB revolution stroller. Here they are in my opinion. I think overall the stroller is good. My rating would be 4/5 stars

PRO's

• Smooth Ride


• Big seat for kids


• Good Secure and comfortable seat belt system


• Easy to clip seat belt


• Nice and Spacious bottom space for bags and other misc items


• Cup holder feature VERY cool


• Tires unlock to allow for more cargo space when storing stroller


• Several fold settings allowing for various options on putting the stroller away in storage


• Great shade, protects baby from various angles


• Cool window on top of shade to get a quick peek at your baby boo


• Very comfortable handlebar

CON's

• A little big when folding stroller


• Stroller runs away when you don't lock it


• High handlebar height, wish it were adjustable


• Seat recline feature is not good at all

Demo's online are always a good way to get a better looks at what you can expect from a stroller without actually buying one. I tend to favor watching demo's online more than reading that stupid manual. What parent has time to read that stuff anyways?? So if you scroll down further you can see a demo and get even a better look at the BOB RRRrrrevolution.

Here's a quick look at the BOB demo I found online:

B.O.B. Revolution All-Terrain Stroller - A funny movie is a click away

Lastly, I wanted to share with my readers some pictures of mine with the BOB revolution. Hope that this brief review of mine helps you with your shopping. Good Luck and feel free to ask me any questions!!

Daddy and Baby with the BOB


Waiting for Mommy and Daddy to get Crepes.


The BOB, up front and personal


As you can see, I'm pretty happy with this stroller overall

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Peg Perego Pliko P3 System

The Peg Perego Pliko P3 Travel System (stroller and car seat duo) is hands down the MOST VERSATILE and USEFUL stroller system in today's market. I was fortunate enough to get the Peg Perego because I did my research and learned that it was the highest rated stroller in the market. I confirmed this when I tried to use other people's strollers and it made me realize, wow, I got a good thing here!

As a first time parent and a newbie to strollers, I was a bit besieged as my husband began to unpack the boxes for the car seat and the stroller. I kept thinking to myself, will I ever learn how to use this and be able to handle a baby? I think the fear and anxiety that drove those thoughts was partly due to my fluctuating pregnancy hormones. Nevertheless, I recall stressing just looking at the stroller and car seat during the last month of my pregnancy.

My biggest problem was that my husband read the manual and I thought I would learn just by osmosis. Not really but you catch my drift. Since I had a c-section, I had my husband around the first couple of weeks everywhere we went. This made learning how to “load and unload the car seat into the car”, “detaching the car seat from the stroller” and “folding the car seat to place it in the car” a total synch because my hubby did it all for me and I didn’t pay much attention to it.

I remember the first day my mom and I decided to go for a drive together, without my husband. I loaded up the infant car seat on top of the stroller. The car seat snaps right in and it’s SUPER easy. That is one HUGE plus for this stroller system. Once we reached the car I tried to lift the car seat off the top of the stroller. No luck. Then my mom, who’s almost as product-challenged as I am tried to unlatch the car seat, no luck. The car seat was LOCKED onto the stroller and it was not going to budge. I must say, the security of the system was fully tested and it passed because there was no way for us to unlock the car seat from the stroller. I went back inside the house and google’d the strollers’ website and read the instruction. No help. None! I am sooo bad at reading manuals.

I went back to the car where my mom was still trying to undo the car seat from the stroller. Then one of my neighbors walks by and he tried to help us. NO LUCK. I finally get a hold of my husband, who I had been trying to call for the past 30 minutes. All I can tell you is it was the most simple thing that we missed. All we had to do was lift the back of the car seat latch up and it unlocked itself. HOW SIMPLE IS THAT? Too simple in my opinion. I laugh looking back now but at the time, when I was breaking into a post-partum sweat, I thought it sucked.

The infant car seat portion of the Peg Perego Pliko P3 system was very cool. It came with one base (which we installed in our Cadillac) and it also easily fit into other cars and secured with the seatbelt with ease. I had a hard time carrying the car seat once my baby hit 3-4 months of age. It just got to darn heavy. But for the most part, my husband was able to carry it around just fine. The material of the car seat is also very nice because it cleans easily, especially after those nasty spit ups.

The car seat plopped right into the stroller and we used that feature for about 3 months. It was VERY handy and we found the locking mechanism to work nice and was for the most part problem-free. Once we moved on to just using the stroller, we really learned that this was by far one of the best options for a stroller. The stroller also folded very compact, better than most strollers, leaving us tons of room for everything and anything else we lugged around for our new baby boy. Boy we realized having a baby sure does require TONS of packing and bags! lol...

Everything we needed, this stroller had. The cup holders, the recline feature, the sun/rain roof... it was all very well thought out and useful. I especially LOVED the recline feature on the Peg Perego. It was perfect for those days when my son just wanted to nap. It layed almost as flat as a bed!! The only downfall about this stroller was the storage compartment on the bottom. I feel like parents, especially moms, have so much to carry. A purse, a diaper bag, toys and not to mention another small cooler to tote around baby food and milk. I needed something a bit more durable and larger but I was willing to settle for the one we had considering it was such a great stroller.

Here are some of my pictures from us using our Peg Perego. I give the stroller a 5 out of 5 stars. It is THAT good.


Sleepy Time in the Infant Car Seat


Going inside the car for a joy ride


Our 3 week old loves his car seat


The car seat set into the stroller


DEMO for your viewing pleasure:

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Welcome To Trendy Baby Goodies Blog!

As a first time mom of a beautiful baby boy, I often found myself searching the neverending world wide web for recommendations on products that were useful and hip. I learned that most of the products that I registered for were awful and I ended up opening and regretfully not using a lot of them. Asking around became my most powerful tool when trying to buy baby gear, nursing supplies and so on... The purpose of this blog is to allow me to share my best and sometimes worst experiences with products that I buy for my kids. I am just starting to build my family so I thought this would be a great place for me to give and also receive ideas from mothers and fathers in the same boat as me.

Go on and check out my blog and say hello.

Happy Shopping!

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