Recently in Car Seats Category

I have all the car seats I need until I won't need car seats anymore. But this Clek Oobr booster seat is making me want to upgrade. Most boosters do not attach to the car, you just use the seat belt across the body. But this one is attached via the latch system, for good measure and in my opinion, a necessity, even if it is just a mental one. Some cars' seat belt system does not register a rider under a certain weight and the latch is not meant for anyone over 40 pounds. Although I always lock the seat belt (I pull it all the way through so it locks and will not extend farther) when using a booster, I still want the added benefit of having the seat tightly in place. The latch in this seat is rigid to ensure the seat does not shift and also makes it easier to install. There is a quick release in the front of the seat making it easy to transfer from car to car. The Clek Oobr seems to have the upper hand in superiority with advantages and features like its high safety rating, a reclining back for sleeping, comfortably padded, stain resistant Crypont Super Fabric, great looking design and colors, and has a removable back to convert and grow with your tot. Of course, price is the real issue here, I already spent $280 on 2 Britax car seats so spending $274.99 on another 2 (I have 2 tots!) is a major consideration. Clek Oobr Booster Car Seat at Amazon for $274.99.

Happy New Year!  As we celebrate a brand new decade, I would like to look back and recap on my favorite products from 2009.  These are things I cannot live without, some are luxuries but all of these make my life as a mommy better!

Beaba Baby Cook

One of the best inventions of all time!  We all want fresh and nutritious food for our tots, but who has the time?  This Beaba Baby Cook does all the work for you, just throw in the washed produce and it will steam and puree it for you.  This is not a luxury, it is a necessity!!  Beaba Baby Cook for $149.

Cares Child Restraint System

Do not even consider getting on a plane with a car seat unless you have a new born under 9 months.  This 5-point harness seat belt will save your sanity and make your travel actually pleasant!  For $74.95.

I thought Pediped Originals were the best things on earth until they came out with Pediped Flex for toddlers.  Super cute and incredibly comfortable.  The best part, the insoles that come out as your tot grows so you get extended wear by one whole size!  That is serious value because we all have barely worn shoes that were outgrown before they made it out the door. Prices range from $39-45 depending on style.

Right Bank Babies

Oh how I love this line!  Original, spunky and more style than my own wardrobe.  My tots always look their best while glowing with their own personalities in Right Bank Babies designs.  I have to stop though, they are starting to look like paid models for the line!

Chasing Fireflies - Best website ever!  You will find so many treasures from clothing to gear to unique toys.  The only problem is, they do not tell you the designers of their products are you are pretty much stuck buying from them.  Luckily, they have great customer service and their prices are great, with incredible sales!!  They take care of me so I just make my life easy by going to them first.

Nalgene Tritan Grip-N-Gulp BPA-Free Water Bottle - Best Sippy Cup!  I don't do spring cleaning, I do new years cleaning.  To start off a brand new year, I have to clear out everything I don't want or need, which includes all the sippy cups other than the Nalgene.  I still love Siggs for the road but for everyday use, this is the only leak proof sippy that does not have a thousand little valves and nozzles.  It has one.  Try it, I promise you will not look back. For $7.70.

Monica Rich Kosann Jewelry

Sentimental jewelry becomes even more special as a mom.  But you have to be careful because there are some really bad cheesy photo pendants and lockets.  Monica Rich Kosann is real precious jewelry, the details are exact and delicate for pieces that are worthy of a Jewel Snob.
Take a look at the collection.

Little Giraffe Blankets

I have a pile of blankets that is higher than the height of my closet.  And that pile pretty much stays untouched because the only blankets I end up using are the Little Giraffes.  They are soft, lightweight, thin and as comfortable as a cloud.  Hands down the best gifts for a baby shower.
At Layla Grayce for $78

Uppa Baby Stroller

I have 6 strollers so I know what I'm talking about.  This Uppa Baby is the best.  The reason I have so many strollers is because there was not ONE that fit all my needs.  Sometimes I'm going for a long walk so I need the performance of the Bugaboo, other times I need my Maclaren Volo for it's lightweight and easy collapse features for the New York subway.  Then there are those days you know your tot will fall asleep so you need one that reclines.  The scenarios are endless but this Uppa Baby seems to handle them all with ease. For $669.99 at Uppa Baby.

Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black)

I am pretty sure most parents already have the Flip but in case you don't, get one immediately.  You will never miss another YouTube moment every again with this tiny 2 oz HD camera that takes up less room in your bag than 2 tubes of lip gloss.  The picture quality is amazing, truly HD and easy easy easy to operate. And for $149.99, it is an easy sell.

This is an ice pack to cool the car seats during scorching hot summer days. We went to the desert one time to visit family. When it was time to leave the inside of the car got so hot it would have been cruel to put my tot in the car seat that was 200 degrees. Actually I think it would have burned her. We tried turning on the air conditioner but it wasn't doing anything so we had to removed the car seat and put the entire thing in an ice box (those freezers that open on top) for 20 minutes to cool it off. And of course, we had to reinstall the car seat afterward. Pain in the butt does not even begin to describe that experience. And then we couldn't stop anymore after that because we didn't want to do that all over again. Well, and we didn't have an ice box readily available on the road. This Seat Chiller would have been a life saver. Even if you don't live in the dessert or plan on visiting one, we all know how hot car seats can get even on a semi-hot day. Besides, it just isn't comfortable for our precious little tots! You put the chiller in the freezer and lay it over the seat and buckles until it cools to your liking then you take if off before seating your tot. You can also use this to cool yourself, I plan on laying on this to calm back inflammation. At Baby Dagny for $30, comes in blue, green and purple.

Here is the perfect alternative to having to throw a blanket over your car seat on a cold and windy day. My super fabulous stylist friend, Leslie Rutherford told me about this. This cover fits snugly on any car seat and is super cute! There is even a peep window for you to check on your tot without a disturbance. Blankets on a car seat can be tricky especially on the handle when you're carrying it - you do not want to risk any mishaps! They're really well made and conceptualized which is obvious in all the little details. These comes in a variety of colors and patterns in either Fleece or Flannel for $89 at Babbaco. My favorite is the Beep Beep design that looks like a little VW bug!

Getting your first car seat or needing to upgrade to a bigger seat? Even if that is in the near future, I would get in on this sale now! Amazon is discounting almost all Britax car seats. I have 2 Britax Boulevard seats for my 2 tots - they are pricey but I cannot imagine compromising on something as important as this. Now is your chance to buy some peace of mind and save some cash on the most important gear for your tot. Check out Amazon's extensive Britax selection. Offer expires Feb. 15th at 11:59pm EST.

Seriously, the hardest part of traveling with little tots is the car seat situation. For my long haul from LA to Taipei, I got a seat for my 16 month old but that meant bringing on her giant, really heavy Britax. Once in Taipei, we took a quick 1 1/2 hour flight to Hong Kong so I opted for the lap. Did you know you still have to pay for lap babies on international flights? It is about 25% of the price of an adult ticket, which is ridiculous since they weigh less than your average suitcase. Anyway, on my flight to Hong Kong the flight attendant gave me a seat belt extender that attached to my seat belt then went around the baby like a normal seat belt. This is much safer than just holding with your arms - and you should NEVER belt the baby in with you, in the event of a mishap, you will crush your baby!! Or what if you fall asleep and let go of the baby accidentally? I have never seen this when traveling domestically so when I got home I started researching to find something similar but I found something way better! This works the same way, it attaches to your seat belt but it has an entire vest harness instead of a single lap belt so it distributes the impact over the entire torso. You can rest easier knowing that if you fall asleep, your baby will be happily tethered to you! Makes a great gift for the family on the go. The Baby B'Air Flight Vest Travel Harness is $25.95 at Amazon.com.

We all know that traveling is a pain in the neck with tots in tow but by far the worst part is dragging and lugging the car seats around!! And I have the giant Britax Boulevard which is the heaviest car seat on the market. Obviously, I was not taking traveling into consideration when buying that model. Now that my older daughter is over 38" and 30 pounds, I opted for an easier travel car seat, the Compass Folding Adjustable Ultimate Booster Car Seat, $79.99 at Amazon. It is a dream to travel with! First of all, it is ultra light and it folds over to be super compact. It is a booster seat so it uses the shoulder/lap belt on a car, which means no sweating and nail breaking installation! But my reason for getting this is the same reason I opted for the Britax, it is the safest booster car seat on the market. This is the highest crash tested booster seat with side impact protection. It has EPS foam, two retractable cup holders and triple layer padding for ultimate comfort. This will fit tots until they are out of booster seats so I am set for car seats. I am on a trip to Taiwan where going to visit family is a daily activity but everyone takes cabs here. I just grab this and go and since I am visiting family, I just leave the seat with them for the day until I am ready to head out again. Even when I get home, this is great as a secondary car seat for family members who take my tot out or even when I am picking up other kids for a playdate. The The First Years Carry Bag For Compass Booster is $18.31 and an absolute must for travel.

Why is it that no matter how much money I spend on the latest and greatest baby gear, the following week it is outdated and obsolete?! About a year ago, I purchased a convertible car seat for my second child. I was thrilled to be rid of the carrier. Immediately I went to buy a "big boy" car seat for my son. Yippee!! No more carriers to lug and with two car seats, this meant my 3.5 year old daughter could bring a friend home from school for a play date. However, isn't there always a catch...it also meant I had to constantly install and reinstall the car seat from forward to rear facing. Oh the broken nails and ruined manicures I endured until my son's car seat was permanently forward facing. You can imagine my envy when I saw the Combi Zeus in my friend's car. This car seat installs once and swivels from forward to rear facing with the lift of a lever. The swivel seat makes getting her infant in and out easier too. She just swivels the chair sideways and her baby fastens right in. No awkward hunching, bending, or twisting. It accommodates infants from 5 - 50 pounds. While I can't justify spending another $300 on car seat, if you are in the market this is the one. Watch the demo video. Available at One Step Ahead ($299.95).

I have already gone on 3 big trips this summer with my kids and I am telling you, this is all you need. Well, not ALL you need, but if you've got this with you on the plane and in the car, you will make it. If you do not already have a Mess-Free Magic Board ($5.99 but comes in many variety packs ranging in price), get to the store immediately!! These "magic" paper boards will turn into a colorfully painted page with just plain water. There is a fun brush with water dispenser so your tot will feel like Van Gogh as he creates a perfectly painted scene every time. The best part is, once it dries, he can start all over. Perfect for summer travel because the only mess is water, so it also cools them off when they spill.

My favorite sunscreen (and I have them all) is the Mustela High Protection Sun Lotion SPF 50 ($15). I have not had any problems with sunburns and this does not have harsh ingredients found in drugstore sunscreen for kids. It stays on all day, I know because I am not good about re-applying every 2 hours. We have gone to the beach in Hawaii for a full 4 hours without lobster skin of any kind.

This by far is the best invention in children's products! The
TravelJohn Jr.-Disposable Potty ( 6 pack) ($9.99) will save you from accidents and from having to use nasty gas station bathrooms (it is also perfect for amusement parks, if you have waited in line for 2 hours you will know that Murphy's law dictates that once you get to the front of the line, your tot will need to use the bathroom "RIGHT NOW"). This little doo-dad cups right up to your tot's privates to catch the pee-pee without a single drop coming out. There is a powder that becomes a gel so there is no sloshing mess if you cannot find a trashcan right away. I have a girl so, yes, it does work for the ladies as well. She actually loves it. To answer your fears of embarrassment (as I was before I used it), it is actually a very concealed operation so there is no need to worry about the crowds seeing this go down.

If you are flying, you must have the CARES airline approved seat belt ($74.95). It turns the regular plane seat into a 5-point harness in a quick minute. I just flew the new Virgin America and they told me that this was the ONLY seatbelt they approve of. Avoiding bringing your 30 lbs giant car seat on the plane? Totally priceless.

Happy Travels!

Traveling with little ones just got a whole lot easier. If you have ever flown with kids, you know the hassles. Getting through the winding airport security line with the stroller, overstuffed carry-ons, and car seat feels like an obstacle course. No matter how many hands you have you always need one more. Next time check your car seat or leave it at home. CARES Kids Fly Safe is the first FAA approved car seat alternative (they also have certifications from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.) Their safety harness ($74.95) is easy to install. Just watch the video. CARES can be used for children ages 1 to 4 years who weigh between 22 and 44 pounds. Happy travels.

Available at Kids Fly Safe.