Reviews by MarissaG

MarissaG says "Great for Taller Kids" about Recaro Vivo

MarissaG — Wed, 06 May 2009 01:52:45 GMT

The Recaro Vivo is a wonderful high-back booster seat. I really took my time to compare all the booster seats that are out there and found this one to be the best both in safety and comfort. The product says that it fits children who are 3 years old and 37" and up, but my son is 4 years old and (as of February) is 41.5" tall and he is just barely tall enough for it. So I wouldn't purchase this seat unless your child really exceeds that minimum height requirement.

I also like that it converts to a backless booster when he's ready for it. The side wings around the head and body make me feel like he is secure and protected. This booster seat is much sturdier than the comparable Graco, Evenflo, Britax, etc brands. It doesn't fall apart when you move it from car to car so you can do it one-handed, unlike the Graco TurboBoosters. I also like the angle that the head wings are at. In the brochure they looked like they might block his view but they don't at all. He loves his seat and the angle...

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MarissaG says "Kirkland diapers are the best!" about Kirkland Signature Premium Diapers (All Sizes) Diapers

MarissaG — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:02:51 GMT

I have 2 boys, one of whom is still in diapers. With my first, I was convinced that I had to have the name brand diapers - that any store brand was just a cheap and inferior product. I finally switched to the Kirkland brand when he was in a size 4 diaper and I couldn't believe I hadn't switched sooner! They fit great and didn't leak. They held up to lots of running around and never moved out of place.

I don't like that the smallest size is a 1-2 though (they are short in the back in that size and I've had blowout problems with them), so I didn't get them for my second son until he was in a size 3. He is a big boy so it was sooner than I anticipated, which was fine by me. I have never had a problem with them at all. I have only had to clean up 2 blowouts (both were minor compared to the Huggies, Pampers and Luvs blowouts which for some reason didn't work for my second son) and the tags never rip when trying to fasten them like on some other brands. Yes, they are a bit inconvenient...

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MarissaG says "Perfect color blending, sheer coverage, great product!" about Almay Smart Shade Makeup with SPF 15, Light/Medium 200, 1 fl oz (30 ml)

MarissaG — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:52:25 GMT

After the manufacturer of my old foundation discontinued my color I was forced to look elsewhere for my new favorite foundation. I tried many different foundations but I must have an in-between complexion. It seems like every time I went for the lightest beige color it was too dark, but every time I'd try the darkest ivory it was too light. I even tried mixing the lightest ivory and the darkest beige to get that in-between color I was looking for.

I was skeptical of the claim that it "magically transforms to your ideal shade", thinking that sounded too much like an infomercial or something, but I was very pleasantly surprised when I tried the product. The color guide makes it easy to choose your right shade from the 5 they offer (light, light/medium, medium, medium/dark, dark) and it looked really natural on my skin. The coverage is a little on the sheer side for me (I have some redness that I like to even out), but I find that a light second coat in the problem area does the trick just...

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MarissaG says "Nearly Perfect" about Nikon - D60 Digital Camera

MarissaG — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:40:38 GMT

Let me start by saying that I love this camera. It is my first digital SLR and it is very user-friendly. I read the owner manual once and was able to figure things out from that and the easy to use in-camera menus. I love the editing features in the camera that allow you to enhance your images without having to use a computer program. The editing features are very extensive and are unique to Nikon. I looked for those features in the similar Canon and Sony models and they either don't have them or they are very limited.

This camera takes amazing pictures! They come out wonderfully crisp and sharp every time unlike the point and shoot cameras that you take a gamble on getting an in-focus shot. I like all the pre-set options that the D60 offers and I used those all the time at first. They really produce great pictures. I am now venturing into using the Aperture priority and Shutter priority modes and am finding that I LOVE the results I get from those modes. It takes a little more practice,...

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MarissaG says "Both my boys have loved it!" about Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium Cradle Swing

MarissaG — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:51:27 GMT

My sons have both loved this swing! They don't like the front-to-back motion, but LOVE swinging side-to-side. At first I didn't want a swing b/c they're kind of tacky looking, but my sister sent me one anyway with my first son and it turned out to be the best gift we received! My only complaints are that the mobile stops working before the batteries are dead and that it's a bit sqeaky, no matter how you adjust it. We always know when the batteries will be dying in a few days because the mobile stops working first. And like clockwork, 5 days later, the swing will stop swinging and we'll have to replace the batteries. Maybe it's a problem with the batteries, I don't know. But my babies loved the mobile and it's lights and music/sounds. They are endlessly fascinated by it and it's been a lifesaver since neither one liked being held much - they (sadly) almost always preffered the swing to our arms....

MarissaG says "Too Harsh For My Son" about Enfamil Lipil Formula with Iron

MarissaG — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:43:46 GMT

We used this for my son (now 3) when he was born and it was really hard on his tummy. Being first-time parents, we didn't realize that the problem was with the formula until much later. We just thought that all babies must be like this. That all babies needed bottles and bottles of gas drops (that didn't even help much anyway). We had heard that this was the best formula and were willing to pay for the higher quality so our son could have the best. Hindsight is 20/20, though, and I wouldn't use it again. First of all, I now buy the store brand formula from WalMart (Parents Choice) for our second son, and it's wonderful! Plus it's much less expensive. I'm willing to pay extra when I think the quality difference in products is enough to warrant it, but it wasn't with Enfamil Lipil. It was harsh on both babies' tummies, left lots of bubbles in the bottles, and the Parent's Choice brand is not only less expensive (and nutritionally equal), but my babies' tummies have done much better on it......

MarissaG says "Cheap feeling, but they work great!" about White Cloud Diapers

MarissaG — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 02:42:39 GMT

I really like these diapers, which surprised me. I got a package of them at my baby shower and was a little disappointed, having specifically asked for my favorites (Pampers Swaddlers). But seeing as they were free, I was determined to use them, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked them. Yes, they feel cheap and aren't as soft as the Swaddlers, but I like the stretchy sides and I never experienced any leaks with them. They hold up really well and don't seem like they're going to disintegrate and fall off my son (unlike other generic store brands that I now refuse to use). I usually use Luvs now for cost reasons now that my son is no longer a newborn (I like that they added stretchy tabs and how nice they smell), but I'd recommend these White Cloud diapers whole-heartedly to anyone who wants to save money and doesn't care if they aren't scented....

MarissaG says "Great Education, Great Weather, Great Social Scene" about University of Arizona

MarissaG — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:25:13 GMT

I graduated from the U of A in May 2002 and I treasure the memories and friends I made there. I was a double major in Spanish and Political Science and I LOVED my professors. The Spanish department is pretty small (after the 200 level classes) so I got to know my professors well and was able to participate in U of A's study abroad program in Alcala de Henares, Spain for a semester, which I highly recommend. The Political Science department was much bigger and offered a huge variety of classes, so I was able to focus my major in one of the 6 specialized fields under the PoliSci umbrella. The classes weren't as intimate, but the professors were outstanding and engaging, always willing to meet with you if you needed help or just wanted to chat. I loved that.

I was involved in the Greek system while I attended U of A. While it might not interest everyone, I found it to be a wonderful experience and really made the huge university seem much smaller. I loved having a group of girls around me...

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MarissaG says "Comfortable and Safe" about Britax Marathon

MarissaG — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:49:39 GMT

I love this carseat. My son is more comfortable than in others and I love the great safety ratings. It's a bit bulky to switch from car to car, but it's worth it. I like that he can use it until he's 65 lbs and that he can't undo the buckle to escape (like my friends' kids in other carseats can)....

MarissaG says "Much better!" about Chicco KeyFit

MarissaG — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:32:35 GMT

Our little boy is 4 months old and 17 lbs, so he quickly outgrew the Peg Perego carseat that we had used with our other (much smaller) son. We actually bought the KeyFit 30 that will hold babies up to 30 lbs. Our son has much more room and I love all the great safety ratings. Cost isn't an issue when it comes to my sons' safety, but it was less expensive than some of the other brands, yet got the best safety reviews by Consumer Reports, which I loved. I love the body and head inserts that it has for newborns too. Easy to install, easy to get in and out of the car, great color (we got the orange one), and I love the safety factor. Yes, it's a bit heavy, but I think any carseat holding a 17 lb 4 month old would be heavy, so that's not a problem for me. Truly a wonderful carseat....

MarissaG says "Made my son cry non-stop" about Carnation Good Start Supreme DHA & ARA

MarissaG — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:26:51 GMT

We bought this formula for our son because of the "comfort proteins" that were supposedly easier to digest. When we ran out of the Enfamil that the hospital sent us home with we opened our can of Good Start. Right off the bat it was difficult because he didn't like the taste, then it gave him horrible gas and cramps. Our son was the quietest, most serene baby up until we gave him this formula. He was up all night crying in pain, and he's always been a great sleeper. We immediately stopped giving this to him and started looking for another formula. It was a long search, but we have since switched to the Parent's Choice Gentle formula, which is much easier on his tummy, and costs much less than the other name brands....

MarissaG says "Son loved the taste, but his tummy didn't agree" about Parents Choice Soy-Based Formula

MarissaG — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:21:20 GMT

After a long search for the right formula for my son, we decided to try this one. We had him on Similac Isomil before but it was killing our pocketbook, so with our pediatrician's blessing we tried the Parent's Choice Soy formula. He seemed to like the taste better than Isomil, and it provided the same gas/cramping relief but for a MUCH smaller price. Unfortunately, after we started feeding formula full-time, he got completely constipated and we had to switch him after about 4 days. We never noticed while we were still nursing him because the breastmilk must've had a laxative effect on him. We switched him to the Parent's Choice Gentle formula and he's been thriving! Still, I'd recommend this product to anyone looking for a soy formula that is less expensive. It's just too bad that my son's tummy didn't agree with his tastebuds....

MarissaG says "Worked wonders for my son" about Parent's Choice Gentle Formula

MarissaG — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:15:10 GMT

I LOVE THIS FORMULA! We've been through the wringer searching for a formula that would agree with my son's sensitive tummy. The regular milk-based formulas were too harsh, causing him gas and cramping (not to mention lots of crying), but the soy formulas (which helped with the gas and cramping) caused him to be completely constipated, plus he didn't like the taste of the soy formulas. After going through 5 other types of formula, we finally tried Parent's Choice Gentle, which he immediately gobbled up. He never made faces at the taste and it relieved his constipation without causing him any of the gassiness or cramping that he experienced on the Enfamil Lipil/Similac Advance/Carnation Good Start formulas. We also noticed a decrease in the frequency of his spit-ups. We thought it was just something we'd have to get used to and deal with after every single bottle (or nursing session), but when we put him on this formula full-time, he stopped spitting up so much. When he does, it's still...

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MarissaG says "Great Leakage Protection, but sizes run small" about Luvs Diapers

MarissaG — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:06:40 GMT

These diapers are wonderful. I have never had any problems with leakage other than when I'm trying to squeeze my boys into the smaller size for as long as possible when they are on the cusp of a size change. When they're in the proper size I have never experienced any leaks or blowouts, plus the price is incredible for such a quality product. My biggest complaint is that the sizes seem to run small. My son no longer fits in a size 2 Luv's diaper, but will still fit in the Pampers and Huggies size 2s. I hate to move up to a bigger size sooner than necessary because the number of diapers in the package decreases when you go up a size. I just wish they were cut a little roomier like the other brands....