Reviews by j2robins

j2robins says "The perfect swing: Size, Portability, Comfort, & Entertainment!" about Fisher Price Rainforest Take-Along Swing

j2robins — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:05:41 GMT

The Fisher Price Rainforest Swing is perfect for young babies (and their mommies!) We received one as a gift, and I much prefer it to the big bulky swings you can buy. My pros & cons list...

Pros:

Small enough to fit comfortably even in a small apartment. :)
Folds up for easy storage and stowing.
Perfect for travel.
Bright & colorful.
My baby loves to look at and talk to the animals in the mobile.
Soothing and good for naptime on those cranky days.

Cons:

A little pricey if you're on a budget.
Battery operated only--no AC option. And it takes 4 C batteries at a time!
Music can get annoying (but you can turn it on or off).

All in all I love it. It makes my baby girl happy--she loves to chat to the toucan--and it is a lifesaver when she's feeling sick or overtired. I am SO glad we have it and would buy it for my friends....

j2robins says "BEST. JEANS. EVER." about Motherhood Maternity Jeans

j2robins — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:51:40 GMT

Motherhood Maternity's Secret Fit Belly jeans are possibly the best maternity invention ever. I bought a bunch of different styles of belly panels when I found out I was pregnant, and these were the only jeans that fit from the first trimester through the ninth month--I wore them to the hospital to give birth! Here's why I'm such a big fan:

The belly panel is comfy--not so tight it hurts but tight enough to keep your pants where they belong.
The jeans themselves look cute and modern--not frumpy. They look like my pre-pregnancy jeans.

The only con as far as I'm concerned is that the legs were too long. A simple hem fixes that and its worth it to have the comfort of the rest of the jean! I wish I'd bought all my pants & skirts with the Secret Fit belly. Big fan!...

j2robins says "Not bad." about Playtex Ventaire Baby Bottles

j2robins — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:46:48 GMT

I would sum up the Playtex Ventair bottles as simply "good, not great."

The pros:

They (supposedly) help reduce gas.This seems to be true. Our little girl is usually nursed and seems to have no more gas than that when she uses this bottle.
Curved shape makes it easy to hold.

The cons:

Difficult to clean.
Lots of parts mean it is easy to lose pieces and difficult to assemble if you're in a rush. Also if you assemble it wrong you are guaranteed a big leaky mess out the top or bottom. (This means you have to pre-assemble or have a tutorial just to leave the bottle with a babysitter!)

All in all, these bottles are okay. I probably wouldn't buy them for my next baby, but I've been satisfied with them this time around.
...

j2robins says "Lightweight, easy to manage, and a good value." about Graco MetroLite Travel System

j2robins — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:51:17 GMT

As a petite new mama, I am definitely a fan of our Metrolite travel system. We tried out a lot of strollers in the store before we chose one, and this one was my favorite by far. The stroller itself is great--easy for me to manage, folds up nicely, smooth ride and feels lightweight when you're pushing it.

The car seat clips into it (and the car base) very easily and is pretty easy to get back out (though baby weight is obviously a factor, too!) It is a bit heavy for my taste, but I have yet to find a truly lightweight baby car seat.

I love the colors and patterns (we have Berkshire which is super cute) but I wish they were consistent with the other stroller styles and other Graco items. We wanted to get a matching play yard and swing, but they didn't come in the same style. We also wanted to get a stroller in Deco, but it only came in the Quattro, not the Metrolite. (The Quattro was way too heavy for me!) All in all, though, we're fans!
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j2robins says "Safe, secure--the perfect tub for the perfect price!" about The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn to Toddler Tub with Sling

j2robins — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:44:43 GMT

Affordable? Check. Safe? Check. Comfortable for mom/dad and baby at bathtime? Check.

We absolutely love the First Years Newborn to Toddler tub! It doesn't have all the frills and plastic frogs and light up whatevers that some of the baby tubs do these days, but it is infinitely more practical and a much better deal price-wise (who wants to spend $40 on a baby bathtub?!). The detachable sling/hammock was perfect to hold baby in place when she was a newborn, and it works great even as baby grows with a side for reclining and another for sitting up when they hit that stage. Plus it fits perfectly in a normal double kitchen sink. The only bad part as far as I'm concerned is the size--it would be nice to have something more compact for the sake of easy storage. Since we use it every night anyway, it just sits on our kitchen window sill, but it would be hard to store in a smaller home or apartment....

j2robins says "The Summer Infant Video Monitor is a timid parent's dream!" about Summer Infant Handheld Color Video Monitor

j2robins — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:38:40 GMT

As first time parents, my husband and I were a little nervous about how we'd adjust to having our baby girl sleep in her own room. When she outgrew her bassinet at only six weeks, we decided to go out and buy a video monitor to ease our minds in the night (so we wouldn't have to get up to check on her). It was a little expensive, but oh-so-worth-it! I love so much about this monitor: It has a great quality screen and you can even see your baby if her room is completely dark. We love that it is video but still totally portable (I can prop it up on AC power or clip it to me with battery power) and sometimes refer to it as the "baby in a box" because we feel safe even in the furthest rooms of the house. So if you're a nervous new parent, this is a great buy for you!...

j2robins says "How did people feed babies before the Boppy?" about The Boppy Company Bare Naked Pillow

j2robins — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:19:15 GMT

When it comes to feeding a baby, I think the Boppy is the best thing since sliced bread. I absolutely adore ours--and it's not just for breastfeeding! At the hospital they taught us to prop baby up for feeding with pillows, but it always took two or three pillows to cradle her right, and even then they would slip and slide around. When we got home and started using the Boppy I was thrilled with how much easier it became. We also love propping baby up on it--it gives her a great view and some variety from laying on her back or tummy. The only thing is that it doesn't seem to work for her at tummy time--she just starts fussing as soon as we prop her on it that way....

j2robins says "Big portions, yummy food, and hooray for their garlic bread!" about Leucadia's Pizzeria - San Diego, CA

j2robins — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:49:41 GMT

When it comes to pizza and Italian food, I'm pretty picky--oily or soggy won't cut it. Leucadia Pizzeria is more than just pizza--it's a nice, comfortable atmosphere for a date or a family dinner, fast, friendly service, and a delicious menu of Italian fare. Their prices are reasonable, their portions are huge, and we can't help but eat up all the refills of their yummy garlic bread! We take family and friends there on occasion and love passing around our different menu items for sampling. So far we've been big fans of everything we've tried, and really enjoy the environment as well. In fact, every time we drive by my husband mentions that he wants to eat there again!...