Is Your Vehicle Car Seat Friendly?

This is a sponsored post.

In the US, car accidents are the #1 cause of death among children aged 4-12 and the #2 cause of death for children 1-4 years old. the BEST way to decrease risk of death or serious injury and keep your children safe while in the car is to have a car seat that is properly used and installed.

If this is the case, then why are 46% of car seats incorrectly installed or misused? It seems that people are overly cautious with car seat safety when their babies are first born, but over time, they may become lax with proper car seat procedures.

The bottom line is, you highly increase your chances of your child walking away unharmed from a serious car accident if you make sure your car seat is properly installed and correctly used every singe time they are in the car with you.

It shocked me to know that not every car is car seat friendly. Cars.com has a really neat feature on their website, where they review new cars for car seat safety. They install several types of car seats in each car, sharing how to make each ride the safest you can for your child.

 You can search for your car at cars.com/news, navigate to the car seat check landing page, and then search by year, make, ad model to see the results. You can also watch this quick and informative video here. I believe that knowledge is power, so I'm hoping this post makes most of us take an extra minute next time we buckle our babes into the backseat.

Stroller Running Tips from a Mother Runner

One question I get asked over and over again is "What are your best tips for stroller runs?" Since it's stroller running season, I thought I'd address this topic today. I wrote a similar blog post 3 years ago when I was stroller running with my almost 5 year old and in the middle of training for our first stroller half marathon together. You can read that post here. I am once again gearing up to start training for another stroller half marathon. It will be my third, but my fist time doing it with my now one year old daughter. Stroller running with an infant is much different than stroller running with a five year old but some of the main concepts stay the same.

When his baby sister was born, I kicked him out of the stroller and made him run with me! He loves it!!

My tips for a successful stroller run (or walk - whatever is your jam is good with me!):

1. Invest in a quality stroller. This is key and a quality stroller can withstand daily use, keep you and your babe comfortable, and is easy to push. I LOVE my BOB Revolution Pro - It was one of the only things that I invested in brand new when I had my second child. They can be a bit pricey but they are a million times worth the investment! In fact, they are so popular that they have a great resale value, and you can often find one second hand on a local Facebook Swap Site, Ebay or on Craigslist!

What do I love about my BOB? It's decently lightweight for a jogger and has precision handling. One huge reason why I prefer the Revolution model over other BOB models is the front swivel wheel, which allows me to turn around corners very easily. I live and run in a neighborhood full of twists and turns, which I love, but a stroller that was not east to round corners would be a nightmare for me! The seat is super comfy and can easily fit a small baby up to a growing school-aged child! It has real air filled tires that allows it to ride over a variety of surfaces with ease. One tip I always give new stroller owners is to take your tires to a local bike shop and have them put tire liners inside for you. Mine were less than $20 and then add a great layer of protection in between your tire and the tire tube to help prevent flats. It will save you so much money, time, and frustration in the long run - I promise!

One optional feature that I always recommend is the parent console - which is a fancy name for the cup holder that attaches to the stroller handle. It has three slots and can fit your drink, keys, phone, and allll the stroller running swag you'll end up bringing!

2. Bring Plenty of Water and Snacks - For Everyone! One thing I always joke about with people is that I love running with my stroller because of the cup holder area- It's like a rolling buffet for me! But in all seriousness, stroller running is HARD, much more taxing than regular running (umm, hello - you're pushing a 30 pound stroller with a 25+ pound kid strapped in it, so yes, it's a tough workout!). I always pack a snack for myself during stroller runs (usually a bar, some energy balls, or some dried fruit does the trick) and bring plenty of water. 

For my baby, I always pack her sippy cup because if I'm getting thirsty, I'm sure she is too. She's in this big phase of dropping things on the ground on purpose and then saying "uh oh" which I'll admit, really is the cutest thing ever, but not when I'm on a run and have to stop and pick it up every time. I recently found this product called the Sister Chic Dropper Stopper which is awesome. It attaches to the stroller and then has this grippy material inside the strap that helps securely hold and sippy cup or toy tight to prevent it from falling on the ground. I've put it to the test on several stroller runs and walks already and it totally works!

When my baby gets a little older I'll be able to back her little bags of easy to eat on the go snacks for runs but I don't feel comfortable having her eat anything unsupervised yet. I do sometimes pack our favorite teething biscuits from Happy Baby. These dissolve in her mouth easily and I dole them out if I notice her getting a little restless.

3. Bring Reinforcements - In the form of Special "Stroller Only" Toys. There will be plenty of runs when my kids are just content to stare at the view of the world around them while strolling along. I'll usually try to point out the scenery even if they can't talk or respond yet - they are still listening. I'll point out the bunnies we see or a bright purple bush. If I want to listen to music on my stroller runs I'll always play it out loud on my phone and make it kid appropriate. Which sometimes means listening to Little Baby Bum of repeat, we do what we have to, right?

But one thing I always try to have on hand, is a stash of "stroller only" toys in the stroller basket. These remain out of sight for the duration of the run, and are something I can give to my baby if I notice er starting to get a little restless or bored. These toys always stay in the stroller so there are always new and exciting and will surely charm them for another mile or two!

Some of our favorites are the Activity Doofy Dog from playgro. This toy has an awesome little clip that I can attach to the stroller so it can't be throw off and has seven different fun "activities" for her to play with. There are little beads to spin, textured paws to bite and grip, a collar to crinkle, a rattle shake, and much more. It's one of her favorites!

Another toy that we have been loving lately is the Giddy Up Gall Play Set by YooKidoo. This fun little set come with two toys that my baby really loves! The pony pal plays a little melody when turned on or moved, which comes in really handy to stop a cry. Music or sounds usually seem to stop a cry right in their tracks for my little one! The second toy in this set is a giddy up girl which is adorable and full of fun textures. She wears a bandanna that crinkles, and has beds that slide and rattle. She comes with a plastic ring clip that makes attaching her to the stroller super easy and quick!

4. Timing is Everything. Timing is so important with stroller runs and this comes down to knowing your baby. Do they like or need movement to fall asleep? If so, plan your run for when their nap time will be and it's a win/win situation for all! My baby usually won't fall asleep until the last part of a longer run, so I usually just make sure she's well fed and has a dry diaper before we hit the streets together. 

My favorite part of stroller running is the extra bonding time we get together, which I think is especially true as she gets older. I love the feeling of cruising around the neighborhood together, warm sunshine on our faces hair blowing in the wind, taking in nature and enjoy each others company one mile at a time. I try to make the runs fun for her and will often run to a nearby park and stop to push her in the swing or let her crawl around for a bit before loading her up and heading home. Sometimes we will pack a snack or lunch and enjoy a little picnic too. It's all about balance and making fitness and stroller running part of our daily routine and enjoyable for all!

What are some of your stroller running tips? Do you prepare different for casual strollers runs versus stroller running race days?

First Birthday Gift Ideas

It can sometimes be hard to figure out what to get a one year old for their birthday. Some will joke, "just give them a cardboard box and a wooden spoon from the kitchen and they'll love that!" Wile that may be true, there are many safer and more fun!) toys that can give you and your sweet baby hours of creative playtime together.

Here's my list of toys that can be played with in lots of different ways and will engage all of their tactile senses that my almost one year old plays with and loves (And YES, I totally let her open these presents early for the purposes of this post - her older brother would be so jealous that his baby sister got to open her birthday presents early - shhhh, don't tell!)

1. HABA Shakin Eggs - These shakin eggs are our FAVORITE things!! Made of brightly painted wood, they each make a different noise (rattles, jingles, etc) when you give them a gentle shake. My baby loves to shake them, clap them together, spin them, roll them, stick them in her mouth, and chase after them.

We shake them independently or along to the beat of a song. Small enough to toss a couple in my purse or diaper bag, I seem to never leave the house without them because I know they will entertain her wherever we go. 

2. PlayGro Pop and Drop Activity Ball Gym - This is a super fun pop-up style design, that contains 30 rainbow colored balls and keeps baby safe too!

There's lots of mesh pockets for baby to stuff the balls in (and grab them out - seems to be our little ones favorite thing to do lately - putting things away! I'm not complaining!!) There are 4 main "activity" stations. There's a pace for your baby to place a ball and then watch it POP up - producing a fun surprise and giggles galore!

 Other fun stations allow your baby to drop balls in and out and even watch them roll down a slide. Such a fun toy and can easily and quickly fold away to store it when play time is over!

3. Little Tikes Outdoor Swing - We actually got this for our little one a couple of month ago and use it daily. With hooks, we were able to easily attach it to our back patio area and our little girl absolutely loves being pushed in it! Any toy that gets us playing outside is a winner in this mamas play book!

4. Infantino Textured Ball Set - We love these balls! Each brightly colored ball has a fun and unique texture that produces a fun effect while the grip allows your baby to hold only it easier. We take these everywhere - the park, the bathtub,and they have given us hours of creative playtime!

5.
5. Diono rXT Convertible Car Seat + Booster - Haha okay, so not the most exciting present for a one year old - but a super important one, right?! We figured since our little one is growing at a rapid weight, she is ready to graduate from her baby bucket seat into a big girl car seat and of we're going to make the investment we might as well wrap it up and stick a bow on it for her!

After some extensive research, we decided on the Diono rXT Convertible for her big girl car seat. We loved all of the premium innovative features like the steel alloy frame and aluminum reinforced sidewalls to make it an extra safe ride. Thoughtful details like adjustable head support, nicely cushioned seats and sides, and easy care fabric helped seal the deal.

Its been well documented that the safest position for a child is in the middle seat, rear facing. I really liked that this seat can be safely and comfortably rear face until my child is 45 pounds. Now I'm not sure that will happen because literally my 8 year old just surpassed the 45 pound mark, but still. it's nice to know that that is an option.

Diono has one several highly prestigious industry awards and - look at how well it folds up to travel! It even has a shoulder strap. Needless to say, this mama is very excited about this baby gift!

And a few things we're not getting her, but am totally saving for Christmas wish lists (Santa, listen up!)

Learning Resourses New Sprouts Soups On Play Set - This set looks super fun! I think a set of durable play dishes and food makes for great creative play for little minds You can play pretend with these in your playroom, or use them outside or at bath time to incorporate in a little fun water activity. Learning Resources has been a long time favorite toy company of min too so I know they make a quality product!

Little Tikes Water Table - I know it may not be outdoor water play time season in some parts of the country, but in Arizona it is - and water play is such a fun activity for babies of this age! 

Radio Flyer 4 in 1 Stroll n Trike - this was one of our favorite toys with my first born and I can't wait to get our little girl one of her very own! It's a new viewpoint for the littles and a great alternative to a stroller for neighborhood strolls to the park!

What is your little one year old loving lately? What is n the top of your wish list for their upcoming celebrations? I would love to hear!