Babyseats
The Graco Infant SnugRide Car Seat was my introduction to the world of car seats. Adjusting the straps for a newbie might be a little complicated the first time, but once you get the hang of it, and you’ll find that most operate similarly. The great thing about Graco is that they have a line of products that work together; the bad thing, their colors are, well, gray, very gray. (The Beans like bold, fun colors.) I actually bought this car seat as part of the Quattro Tour System, and if you’re not going to buy the Bob Revolution (recommended on the stroller picks page), the Graco is a very good stroller. (Bob actually has an infant seat adaptor that works with this car seat.)
The Britax Marathon carseat is a little expensive, but it came highly recommended to me by a good friend, and I haven’t regretted spending the money, especially on something that we use daily. It seems more comfortable and better constructed than its cheaper counterparts. I can’t attest to ease of installation. Remember, I don’t do instructions. Although I do have to mention that Mimi installed hers by herself. My recommendation is to make an appointment at the fire station with a professional and arrive bearing cookies.
My Fisher Price High Chair is another one of those things that I didn’t realize how much I needed until a friend loaned me hers, and I realized what a necessity it is. Thank you, Heather! Both Baby Beans have spent more time in this high chair than they have in their cribs.
As soon as a baby begins holding her head up, you can put her in the Bumbo to sit up which will help her strengthen the muscles she will later use to sit up on her own. This really is a revolutionary little seat. It’s light weight, and you don’t have to mess with cumbersome straps. You can buy a tray to go with it, but the reviews I read said that it’s easy for babies to remove. As the mother of two determined babies, I knew mine would be the babies who removed the tray.
The Fisher-Price Newborn-to-Toddler Rocker is actually something I don’t own, but I would have bought it had I known about it. It got great reviews, it’s portable, it grows with your baby, and it holds a child up to 40 pounds.
If you have a baby, you have to have a bouncy seat. The bouncy we have is no longer available, but the Fisher-Price Precious Planet Playful Snow Globe & Lights Bouncer has good reviews.
When your baby starts sitting up, you need an exersaucer. It’s entertainment for your baby while you wash the dishes, mop the floor, dust the floor–housework–that stuff you haven’t done since little Suzie was born. The Evenflo Exersaucer was another hand-me-down from Heather, and although ours is missing a toy or two, both boys were entertained with it for hours.
