Sunday, February 28, 2016
the great car seat debate
It's a blessing and a curse with the array of car seats we get to choose for our kids. The infant seat is the easiest buy, but once that sweet baby of yours turns one and outgrows it, welcome to the world of car seat headaches. It's painfully exhausting researching which ones carry high ratings and for what reasons.
When Kensi turned one we purchased the Britax Advocate 70-G3 and loved almost everything about it. We chose this one in particular because it did have the highest ratings without completely breaking the bank. But after some wear and tear we found a few things we really disliked such as the width; it's huge and good luck ever thinking you'll manage to get three people to sit in that row ever again. We also hate the fabric. At first it seemed so plush and great for a toddler, but after experiencing a road trip back home while she battled a fever, we were ready to chuck the thing out the door. Our pediatrician warned us to take her temp every hour just to monitor because the plush car seat fabrics tend to trap heat and raise their body temp. Kensi's temp in the seat would get as high as 104 degrees F. As soon as we stopped and took her out she lowered to 101 degrees F. A drastic difference and enough of one to make us research a different seat for her and Finn made with a more breathable fabric. Luckily, so many of the car seat brands are changing their fabric choices for this reason and for ease of cleaning and I'm so grateful! It breaks my heart thinking of the dangers they can cause for our little ones.
After researching width, fabric, weight, safety and orgin we opted for the Peg Perego Convertible car seat for both our kiddos. Kensi can stay in a 5 point harness convertible up until 65 lbs which I love and with car seats having an expiration date of five years (check your seat for the exact expiration date) this leaves us in good hands with both kids.
The Peg Perego is much narrower compared to our original Britax, by a good four inches. I know that doesn't seem like much, but when it comes to space in a car, it's huge. With that said it is still too wide to fit three car seats across one seat, but it’s also much lighter and easier to take in and out of the car. The fabric is breathable and pulls sweat away from the body and it’s easy to just wipe with a damp cloth to clean. Sadly, I’ve already had to do this and we’ve only had it for a couple weeks. Lastly, we opted for Peg Perego because it’s made in Italy rather than China.
So far we’re very happy with our purchase and will be purchasing a second seat for Kensi, who is even more excited than we are because she repeatedly tells us how much she dislikes her current seat because it’s just too hot. She will be one happy girl once her’s gets here.
Now on to the next thing...since we're expanding, the great car debate!
Thursday, February 25, 2016
easter baskets
Another year for Easter baskets is here again. I think the baskets are getting a little harder each time. Trying to find creative and fun items not found everyday can be challenging, but I love putting together themed baskets. It's a weird thing I love; trying to find the cutest little items to make a fun and interesting basket usually based on a book only seems fitting since we have books scattered throughout the house.
Kensi has been asking for rain boots and an umbrella for quite some time so her basket has a little bit of a water theme this year, which pairs well with her current obsession with mermaids. We gave Kensi her BlaBla Melody Mermaid last year for her birthday which travels a lot with us. I came across Sophie and LiLi’s handmade mermaid doll for her basket this year. Lots of pink and fun items that make splashing in puddles all the better!
Finn is a little more difficult. He will be 15 months old, but he seems older to me because he's constantly trying to keep up with his big sis, so a babyish Easter basket just isn't fitting for him. He's all boy and I know this summer he is going to making quite the mess outside playing in the dirt and water. I'm in love with his all boy basket and I think it will be perfect for his exploring side.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
all hail to sleep
I nearly forgot what it's like to sleep through the night. After spending the day playing with the babes, keeping the house clean, making lunches and snacks, attempting to keep up with laundry.....it's exhausting. Every night I look forward to laying down in my not always made bed and relaxing, but too often it's short lived with my baby boy waking up and wanting mama snuggles. I've learned to embrace it for you never know how short this phase will be.
What seemed like forever ended last night {maybe only briefly}, but I experienced a full nights sleep! I woke up at 5:30 in a panic, frantically searching for Finn only to realize my sweet little stinker slept all night in his crib. Happy, well slept mama right here who's missing her baby snuggles.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
when the cravings call
This pregnancy has me gagging at the thought of most leftovers and pork. It also has me craving very particular meals and if I decide to make it, it must be from scratch. Yesterday I was craving lasagna. I've actually been craving it for a few days, but yesterday was the last straw. I tweaked my recipe slightly to accommodate what I had in my fridge. I used arugula for spinach, a mix of mild sausage and hamburger for sweet sausage and sliced mozzarella for shredded. This baby was beyond divine and smashed my craving to pieces.
I could barely hold myself together as the mild sausage tomato sauce simmered in my stove. I couldn't help but continually taste the sauce by the spoonful. The combination of the sausage {which tasted quite delicious for me not liking pork right now} paired with aromatic Italian seasonings and garlic had me weak in the knees. As much as I was smitten over the homemade sauce I couldn't wait to taste the ricotta cheese mixture. It was sad not being able to taste it with a couple left over noodles due to the eggs, but once the entire lasagna was baked and rested I dove in with a fork. It was delicious and so right. Now I wasn't sure if I would be able to stomach it later today or tomorrow since it is now a leftover, but there are some things that taste better the next day and this is one of them. Thank the Lord!
Hope you enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
