baby stuff - reviews: part 1

 Just in case this info would be helpful to others, I figured I'd kind of reviews items that come to mind as helpful or frustrating. I'll just do a few at a time - rather than one looong post!

In no particular order:

Our stroller - love it! I completely recommend this stroller to anyone. The City Mini Baby Jogger stroller.

It has a great turning radius. Big sunshade. Wheels are big enough to handle bumps, but not so big that its a hassle to store or lug around. It is light. And it is super easy to open and close. I can do both with one hand while holding Vera. It also works well for baby at any age because you can recline it fully, for a newborn, or keep it upright for a toddler (up to 50 lbs).
The only negatives are that the basket underneath isn't very big, and the brake is a little annoying to release. All the positives completely outweigh these annoyances.

We like our orange one, but it comes in several other colors.

Baby monitor - eh. I don't really recommend this one. We will hold onto it until it is useless, but we wouldn't choose it again.
True Choice A100 Digital Monitor

This one sold me on its sleek design, but it doesn't work that well. Despite it's "extended range" of 1000 ft, it doesn't reach to the basement or backyard - which were the main places I was hoping to use it. The 3AAA batteries the parent unit requires are repleted within one use. It's ridiculous how many batteries we have been through with it.
I wish we had registered for one with charging bases and two parent units. And one that doesn't have bright blue lights on the main unit. In Vera's room, I put two layers of masking tape over the lights - and it is still like a blue nightlight!

Things that do work that I might be taking for granted: sound-light indicators, out of range indicator, low-battery indicator, volume control, headphone jack, parent unit finder and a belt clip that converts to an easel. It's a good thing all those indicators work - I just wish they didn't have to indicate as often!!!

Vera likes her soothie pacifier a lot. We weren't going to introduce one to her - but day one - she showed us her super soothing sucking reflex, and the nurse assured us a pacifier would help her relax. She got attached to the kind they had in the hospital - which was fine because that's the kind we registered for. I just ordered a pack of these - which I think Vera might like, too. She won't take other

The good: made from medical-grade silicone - soft, latex-free nipple, bpa free. The shape is more natural. One-piece design for less germs - and nothing to break. I also think it's funny to look in and watch her tongue moving! Oh - and it is easy for her to hold on to.
The bad: when we drop it - it rolls under the furniture. There is nothing to stop it from rolling away. One time in church it rolled 3 pews in front of us!

The Leka baby gym has been a very worthwhile purchase. I definitely recommend it. I like that it is interesting at several stages. 0-3 months, it's like a mobile. 3-6 months, it's a baby gym for reaching and grabbing and rolling. 6-9 months she can sit up and play with the dangling toys from a new perspective. 9-12 months and she can pull herself up on it and play from the top. Vera also enjoys the toys when I take them off, so she can see them up close and chew on them. The wood makes nice clacking noises.
No lights + no batteries = nice!

Fisher-Price Healthy Care Deluxe Booster Seat

I like that it straps securely to one of the chairs at our table, rather than having a highchair take up space. I can tell she feels like a big girl in it. :) The tray is dishwasher safe, and everything is easy to wipe down and keep clean. The harness strap is adjustable, so it keeps her secure. And again - we can use this from start to finish. From her first solid foods until she doesn't need a booster seat anymore (it all adjusts!). I can't think of anything bad about it. Well, it is made of toxic plastic...so that is bad. 

Bright Starts Lots of Links 

Make sure you pick out a pack in the store that has the bottom row shown ( they have a rubbery layer on them nice for teething and grasping).  The good: This is the first toy Vera could hold, and she liked watching them when I played with them in my hands so she could see. Now that she is almost 8 months old, she still likes playing with them, and I imagine she will find them interesting for a long time. They are very useful for hooking toys to the stroller or car seat. Or making a chain for her to play with at her booster seat while I get her food ready. The bad: They aren't dishwasher safe. They are made with toxic plastic. I will probably throw these out because I just ordered these bpa free ones. I might come back and edit this if I like them more. Here is an even safer option.

Probably the biggest decision for a lot of parents is the carseat. We got the KeyFit Infant Car Seat, #1 Rated Infant Car Seat in America. Here are the stats from their website:

• Secures baby from 4 to 22 lbs
• Energy-absorbing foam for improved side-impact protection
• Removable newborn insert for smaller babies
• Thickly cushioned seat pad and five-point harness for maximum comfort
• Spring-assisted level foot, bubble levels, and “Center-Pull” adjustment for easiest installation
• Compatible with the Chicco Ct. 0.1, Cortina, Trevi and S3 strollers 

We haven't had any problems with it. My only issue is that I think it would be so easy for them to make something to hold back the straps of the harness. I use the toy links (above) on the handle to hold the straps back. That way I don't have to set her down on them and then go digging under her to get them out.