Bear with me; this is a long post. Most of the products we review here at GHM are things my crew and I use on a daily basis with our kids. From time to time a company asks us to review a product. When this happens, we always make sure it is noted in the review that the product has been sent to us. I think we are much tougher critics on gear we’ve been asked to review, we feel like we owe it to our readers. So without further adieu, I give you the Oreck Halo.
A few months ago, I got a request to review the Oreck Halo vacuum. A device sent directly to me that will wage massive war on the copious amount of dust mites in my home, therefore giving my asthmatic-allergic-to-dust-mite-kid a break? Awesome! Sign me up. And so one incredibly heavy vacuum arrived on my doorstep.
What does a Halo have that my regular ol’ Kenmore doesn’t? “Incredible suction vacuums dirt and debris, while the patented Oreck Halo light chamber kills many microscopic germs, bacteria, viruses, mold, dust mite eggs, and flea eggs using UV-C light.” This sucker kills things like Anthrax, people. ANTHRAX. Bet you weren’t worrying about that festering in your living room, now were you?
Ok so reader Marie has a question:
“Have you ever had your child’s leg get caught in between the crib slats (and if so, what did you do??)? This has happened 4 or 5 times in the past few weeks and it is hurting my 14 month old and scaring the hell out of me that he could get seriously hurt. It is so hard to get it out (I have to get the leg down, holding his weight up w/ one hand, straighten his leg and then it’s free) and he screams bloody murder all the while! He even got a big bruise once on both sides of his knee. The space seems tiny—only a couple inches, but he is a thin guy. I think he stands there and pokes it through, then either falls or sits down moving it to where his leg is bigger (thigh) or bent so it’s double in size. Any gear that can stop this? Any ideas? Thanks!”
She looked at the Breathable Bumper, but we had that and quite frankly, it ain’t that great. The picture is deceiving because the crib mattress is all the way up. It’s really not that much taller than a regular bumper. It works great for a little one who may inch their way over to the side of the crib: it keeps it safe and breathable. But once Baby G started moving, he just hit his head against the bars and smushed it all up when he kicked it. Reader “Ellasdad” was right. Thanks, Ellasdad. You were right! Too bad I’d already ordered it when you posted the comment! I ended up getting a bumper for him after all since Baby G is so wiggly in bed.
There’s also a Breathable Crib Shield system. Has anyone tried it?
I’m afraid to burst the bubble of our readers, since I am sure that you are all convinced that Missy and I are hip, happenin’ mamas in our late 20s, but I have to announce that recently my BFF and I celebrated our 20th High School Reunion. That’s right folks, we’re pushing 40. Luckily, so was everyone else at that party. [Ed. Note: We looked hot, pushing 40 or not.]
What does this have to do with GHM, you might ask, besides the fact that we’re mamas who often feel old and tired, with gray hairs we hastily covered with dye before we greeted our old prom dates (we’d long given up on major weight loss)? It’s the Flip Camcorder, friends! I’ve been needing a compelling reason to review my little videotaping gadget, and our reunion is providing it.
The week before our reunion, I was talking to the wife of our classmate, a SEAL who is deployed in Iraq and unable to attend the reunion. I was hoping to talk her into attending without him, but, you know…reunions are so much fun when it’s not your class and all. She politely declined. But she was sad, she said, because it occurred to her that it would be great to make a videotape of her husband’s friends sending him greetings from the reunion.
“OMG!” I replied with excitement. “I will totally do that!
OK, so since I’ve been hit with writer’s block, my Auntie CC wrote her first review for me. CC is grandmother to Baby Jack, my cousin’s totally fabulous one year old. So without further ado, I leave you with her first report from the tales of grandparenting. Thanks, Auntie!
Grandma C C signing in…
I have found the ANSWER to being a sane and responsible grandmother. The Superyard XT is a 26” tall, 18.5 sq ft safe play area. Additional panels can be added. Great for indoors and out.
Pa Pa and I were babysitting Baby Jack as he had just perfected scooting (like lightning). It was so cute that after two hours of such joy, Pa Pa and I were on the internet taking turns looking up “Play Pens,” that antique item that allowed me to raise two adorable children through childhood sanely and safely.
My goodness what a yummy diaper bag from Hedvig Bourbon. Two hundred and fifty clams worth of cuteness. Wow. That’s a lot of clams.
As I’ve mentioned before, my child is a freak for food shows. She’s currently on a big Giada at Home kick. Not only does she love the food Giada makes (we make it a lot), but she geeks out when Giada’s baby, Jade, is on the show. I’ve stopped reminding her that we have our own baby at home. Clearly, he is not exciting enough. When Sy zeroes in on an episode she likes, she’ll watch it at least twenty times (no joke) before feeling ready to move on to the next three recipes. Currently she’s into the Mother’s Day Brunch episode, where baby Jade is there in all her baby glory, eating o’s in a very fancy high chair. I did some looking and found out it’s the Kuster K1 chair. It looks pretty darn groovy. At close to $300.00 (with the cute cushion), I’ll be passing it up for the attach-to-the-seat booster that we use, but it sure is nifty looking.
Anyone have it? Feedback? Bueller?
Baby G scratched up his face like nobody’s business last night in his sleep. I wanted to cut his nails at O’Dark Thirty when he woke up, but the light was not bright enough in our room and I didn’t want to blind everyone so early in the morning. I thought about my cousin’s favorite baby gadget - the BebeSounds LiteUps Clippers with LED Light.
File under: why didn’t I think of that? A little set of clippers with their own flashlight! I saw one over the holidays when I was with my cousin, so I swooped it up. Of course, I got it home and it didn’t work. We took it back and the store swapped the batteries, but still no go. I would have gotten another one but I had purchased the last one in stock. My cousin, on the other hand, has had the same pair for a year and it works like a charm. She has had to replace the batteries only once.
Anyone else have a favorite gadget?
As I mentioned on Monday, the Munchie Mug is my pick for Best in Show for 2008. But I also have a few faves within more specific categories, so today’s pick is my favorite piece of travel gear - the Potty-On-the-Go by Fisher-Price.
When I reviewed it back in April, I only gave it 3 stars based on the wastefulness of the bags. While I still agree that it is indeed wasteful, we also couldn’t travel without this. Sy is absolutely petrified of loud and/or public toilets. Refuses to step foot in most public bathrooms, and really, who could blame her? They are loud and dirty, two things that drive Sy absolutely around the bend. Add an automatic flush to the set up and you have a three year old with a nervous breakdown on your hands.
So what did I do about the bags?
I mentioned my favorite baby gear product and Sy’s favorite toy, but I neglected to mention my favorite gadget of the year. It wasn’t even a fight. It was a hands down winner all the way - the miraculous Munchie Mug. Even though I only laid my hands on this item in November, it still holds the top slot. As you can see in my review, both Sy and I fell in love with this snack containment device immediately.
Why did it win top slot? It’s easy to clean, easy to use, not very expensive and BPA and phthalate-free. All that and it doesn’t make my kid crazy. Something that makes my life easier as well as hers gets bonus points in the GHM book.
So if you are looking for a better snack holder, go support this little company. You won’t regret it!
Dude. I totally pinched a nerve carrying Baby G around in the Baby Bjorn, which I have a feeling was user error. I used that thing constantly with Sy til she was about eight months old (and then switched to the Ergo). I’ll have to write a review of the Bjorn, which I genuinely like, but not today. Today I can barely move, let alone type and be pithy.
Look! Another GHM Giveaway! This one is compliments of Spunky Sprout, an online store focusing on “Stimulating Toys + Modern Designs + Quality Organics + Contemporary Gifts.” Today’s Giveaway: Boon Potty Bench
The Potty Bench is a training potty featuring two enclosed side storage spaces for organizing potty training supplies, and a pull-out drawer for easy sanitary clean-up. Simply close the lid to use as a large, sturdy stool that supports up to 300 lbs. The sleek, modern design includes a built-in toilet paper holder and a removable soft deflector shield. Valued at $34.00.
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS, READER SARA!
How To Enter:
Just enter a comment below, and make sure to enter your email so we can contact you when you win (it’s never shared, sold, rented, nor will others be able to view it).
Contest ends Wednesday, December 17, 2008 at midnight PST.
Contest is open to U.S. residents only. See here for full GHM Giveaway rules.
Winner will be selected at random.
Thanks for entering! Good Luck and thanks to Spunky Sprout!
It’s a family week for us, so I thought I’d re-post some favorites. I wrote this last year before the travel season and I still agree with everything I wrote!
If you are traveling for more than about nine minutes, it’s good to have a few things hidden in your bag to keep the travel blues at bay. Here are some easy to pack supplies for the kiddos along the way.
We just bought the bullet and ordered Sy a Frontier car seat by Britax. Baby G LOATHES his little infant car seat. I think it incenses him that he cannot see, so we’ll make the switch before year’s end. I’ll put him in Sy’s old one (the Britax Decathalon, which goes from five lbs up) and Sy into the Frontier (30 to 100 lbs). We’ve always loved the Decathalon by the way, I’ll have to review it.
I like the Frontier because it converts from a 5-point harness to seat belt, but still has a tether system like a traditional car seat. Of course, you can’t switch to the seat belt option until they are 80 lbs, which Sy won’t hit for a long, long time. It also has cup holders, which Sy is extremely excited about. My sister has the Parkway booster for her seven year old and says the cup holders are absolute crap; drinks spill all over unless your cup is only about 2 inches tall, which you know, so many sippy cups are. Not. The Parkway is a retired product, replaced by the Monarch. I think in a year or so, we’ll put Sy into one of those. So many options…
Hey reader Firemom, did you end up buying one for your kiddo? Do you like it? Do tell.
Britax car seats are on sale this week only over at Babycenter. Up to $60.00 off and free shipping. Woohoo!
Move over Snack Trap, there’s a new spill resistant infant and toddler snacking cup that is both BPA and phthalate-free and manufactured in the good old United States of America; Sonoma, California to be specific in town. Invented by a grandfather of six and manufactured by a machine he built, the Munchie Mug is committed to child safety and parent convenience.
The Munchie Mug when dropped or turned upside down does not spill any little snacking treasures inside out onto the carpet, couch, backseat of the car, grocery store floor, etc. It is made of 100% recyclable polypropylene #5 and all FDA food-grade approved materials. The Munchie Mug is dishwasher safe and baby safe. The soft fabric enclosure overlaps to keep snacks in, and it is soft enough to not irritate little hands trying to get snacks out.
OK. Sounds good, right? But let’s get down to brass tacks - did my girl like it?
I was never going to get a Phil & Ted’s stroller. Too huge. Too ostentatious. Waaay too much money. And yet, and yet. What’s sitting in my garage? My spanky new, totally huge, completely ostentatious and way too expensive stroller. Guess what? I love it even though it is sort of embarrassing to own. It feels like a mid-life crisis corvette sort of stroller - tons of bells and whistles, snazzy colors, turns on a dime and you can really open it up on the sidewalk.
We went with the Sport Buggy with Doubles Kit model. We got it at the local kid’s store and the back seat attachment was the floor model, so at least we got 10% off. (Don’t be afraid to ask if the store is willing to part with the floor model! Don’t ask, don’t get). The first day we brought the stroller home was the day that Sy ran shrieking down the street, refusing to go anywhere near it. She was completely wigged out by the whole backseat option. She literally catapulted herself out of it and headed for the hill. After a few days just sitting near the stroller, she decided to give it a try and fell in love with it. I think she feels cozy back there. We put Baby G in his carseat and click it onto the top. There is a conversion bar to put it on safely, but I was too cheap to buy it. It sets on there just fine and I don’t worry about him falling out, but if you don’t want to live on the edge like me, get the conversion bar for sure. Once Baby G can hold his head up, I can put him in the regular seat, but for now it’s nice to have him up so high and facing me, he likes the face time.
The Sport Buggy comes as a single stroller with the capability for double conversion by adding an extra seat onto the back. It’s built more like a jogging stroller (although not recommended to jog with it) than a regular umbrella stroller. You know, there’s so much to discuss about this stroller, I think I have to go with bullet points:
