BubbleBum Booster Seat: New Stars & Stripes Design Review!

I received this product free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

The BubbleBum is a portable, lightweight, inflatable booster seat for children ages 4-11 (40-100 pounds). So easy to set up, it easily inflates by mouth within 20 seconds and deflates so that you may fold it easily into a backpack, suitcase, or purse. Weighing less than 1 pound it is lightweight and manageable. It also comes with a convenient tote bag to carry it around with and shoulder belt positioning clip so that your child's seat belt doesn't chafe or be too high. It is perfect for ‘3 across’ tight fits because it is only 13” wide. This makes it the perfect car seat booster for vacations, rental cars, taxis, plane flights, car pools, play dates, and care givers.

Award-winning BubbleBum meets and exceeds all European and U.S. safety regulations and is rated the 'Best Bet' Booster by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) 6 years in a row. The material used to make the BubbleBum is similar to that of a lifebelt making it durable and extra safe. The air bladder is made from memory foam which adds structural integrity and comfort.

Includes: Bubble Bum booster seat, shoulder belt positioning clip, instructions/registration card, 1 free mobile games app, & bag.

Features:

• For children ages 4 - 11, 40 - 100 pounds
• Inflatable - easily inflates by mouth within 20 seconds
• Deflatable, foldable and portable - great for travel, vacations, rental cars, taxis, plane flights, car pools, play dates, and care givers
• Easily fit three car seats across the back seat with BubbleBum because it's 13" Wide
• Lightweight - weighs less than 1 pound
• Meets and exceeds all European and U.S. safety regulations
• Rated a "Best Bet" Booster by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Winner of many awards including the National Parenting Center of Approval
• When deflated, it easily fits in a purse or backpack
• Fun designs

Installation: inflate through valve, attach shoulder belt positioning clip and place behind shoulder of child, place belt through both red side clips, & buckle child in.

Our Thoughts:
We love the BubbleBum! It is easy to install and super convenient to take on trips. We plan on bringing it when we all go to Ohio in the fall as a family. We love how easy it is to grab and go and it is super affordable! For the safety and peace of mind of always having a car seat for my younger children, the BubbleBum is the perfect solution!

Zari siting in our van on the BubbleBum Booster Seat. Notice the shoulder belt positioning clip.

The Stars & Stripes design is so patriotic and a great way to show off your love of the United States of America. This design is especially wonderful for showing some Red, White, and Blue during Memorial Day, the 4th of July, or Veterans Day! BubbleBum also comes in Pink Chevron, Black, Union Jack, and Irish Shamrock.

BUY IT


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Quilted Monkey Mat Review

I received this product free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Monkey Mat has you covered both in and outdoors. No more bulky blankets! The Monkey Mat is easy to take on the go to just about anywhere! Just fold up and stuff it in the attached pouch. Make your space, any place.

Features:

• Clean
• Cushy
• Portable
• Compact to carry
• In/Outdoor
• Soft 5'x5' mat
• Ripstop nylon
• Durable
• Machine washable
• Water repellent
• Loops for stakes (sold separately)
• Weighted corners
• Center loops to attach items like: toys, keys, dog, leash, etc.
• Attached 10”x10” pouch
• Perfect for travel, home, beaches, parks, concerts, picnics, dirty floors, sporting events, outdoor festivals, camping, and more!
• Seats 4, lounges 2
• Comes in gray groove, blue yonder, and red coral crush

Quilted Monkey Mat Picnic

What We Thought:

We love the Quilted Monkey Mat! We got a red one to try out. It is lovely to take traveling so we can lay it out and be able to sit just about anywhere. We found it works best on flat surfaces though. We also love that if the grass is slightly damp from dew or rain showers then this mat is perfect because it is water proof and water repellent so your tushie doesn't get wet while sitting in it. We also love the attached pouch. It is so convenient to just shake it off, fold up, stuff in the bag, zip, and go. The pouch also has a handle you can hold and hang it from. This would be great for trips to the zoo, outdoor concerts, festivals, fairs, etc. We had a picnic outside on a nice sunny day in out front yard too. We like the idea it could be staked down because even with the weighted corners it was blowing around a bit. I love that it can be machine washed and is easily wipe-able in case of spills too.

This is a great mat for both indoors and out and I highly recommend this for anyone who needs a good sized mat for sitting or lounging on.

BE SOCIAL
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonkeyMat
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MonkeyMatMama
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/monkeymatmama
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monkeymatmama
Tags: #QuiltedMonkeyMat #MonkeyMatLifestyle #MonkeyMatMama

BUY IT
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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Prince Lionheart bebePOD Boost Review

When Tatiana was little I wanted a seat that she could sit in independently and since she was a special needs child I needed something that helped promote proper posture while she sat. I looked at both the Bumbo and bebePOD. Both were very basic floor sitter seats for babies when I first was looking. There were great things said about both, but I personally went with the original bebePOD because the reviews I read said that the leg openings on the Bumbo were smaller and so a chubby baby wouldn't be as comfortable in it. Tatiana was already 2 years old when I decided to get it for her so I wanted something that would last a while.

The bebePOD that they have designed now has more features than the one I bought for Tatiana back then. Both my daughters Tatiana and Teela used the original bebePOD in lavender and pink. I held onto it for my daughter Zari because I loved it for them. The makers of bebePOD, Prince Lionheart, has upgraded the version I had to also have a safety harness so the child won't wiggle out of it...something I think that is a very smart upgrade that Bumbo has never done.

They also have different versions now on their website, the new über deluxe version they call their new bebePOD Flex Plus. It has the benefit of being a booster seat and a floor sitter with a tray and toy thrown into the mix! The only thing is the new bebePOD Flex Plus can get quite expensive! While searching for a good friend about information of how the bebePOD was different from the Bumbo I came across a review on Amazon.com for the new bebePOD Flex that said you can find a cheaper price on OneStepAhead.com. What the review didn't say was that these were two slightly different Prince Lionheart products. The one on the Prince Lionheart website conveyed as being a new product to their line is called the bebePOD Flex and then the one that is a Prince Lionheart OneStepAhead.com exclusive is called a bebePOD Boost.

Here is the breakdown in plain English about the products and prices (prices current to this post date):
bebePOD: Baby floor seat with a safety harness and removable pommel (allows you to “upgrade” seat with accessory packages that include a tray, placemat and toy). "NEW & IMPROVED" from the original I had. Price USD $39.99.
bebePOD Plus: Has everything that the bebePOD offers, plus adjustable tray with 2 reusable placemats and an attachable toy specially designed by Sassy. Price USD $46.00.
bebePOD Flex: Has everything that the bebePOD offers, plus you can also use it as a booster seat because of back and lower straps that can mount it to a chair. Price USD $46.00.
bebePOD Flex Plus: Has everything that the bebePOD Flex offers, plus adjustable tray with a reusable placemat and an attachable toy specially designed by Sassy. Price USD $60.00.
bebePOD Boost: Available exclusively through OneStepAhead.com! Has everything that the bebePOD Flex Plus offers, plus a hard shell base that the soft seat sits in for more stability on surfaces. Price USD $49.95 Now: $24.95!!
bebePOD Accessory Kit: Adjustable tray with a reusable placemat. Price USD $12.99.
bebePOD Deluxe Kit: Adjustable tray with a reusable placemat, interactive pat mat and a Sassy toy. Price USD $24.99.

Differences of the bebePOD and Bumbo:
bebePOD: smooth surface, removable pummel in the newer versions, safety harness in the newer versions, leg openings larger than Bumbo & can come with chair mounting straps, tray, placemat, and toy.
Bumbo: bumpy surface, one piece construction, tighter fit in leg areas, dips a bit lower than bebePOD, easy to clean because of the one piece construction & can come with tray.

Also, I wanted to mention that if you already have a Bumbo then you can get these adorable covers for it on Etsy so that the non-breathable foam that the Bumbo is made of won't stick to your babies skin and they're machine washable! Something else too...I saw a stand for the Bumbo that I had never seen before...check it out!

Anyway, I ended up buying a bebePOD Boost for Zari even though I had an original bebePOD because I wanted one that could be used as a booster seat too and the price was way too good to pass up! I am sure you will agree. We received the seat and absolutely love it! It is everything I had hoped for and very portable. I can take it with us while traveling to have a floor seat and booster on hand when Zari needs one too!

***UPDATE 6/2011: This product and price is no longer available on OneStepAhead.com. Shop around though, you might find it at a good price somewhere else.

***UPDATE 2013: The bebePOD Boost that is now listed on the Prince Lionheart website does not currently come with the tray, mat and toys. However; they now have a bebePOD Boost + that is exactly what I purchased in early 2011. Go here to see the list of bebePODs and current pricing at their store online.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I bought this product myself and liked it so much I wanted to review it and let my readers know about the fabulous price for it on OneStepAhead.com. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. No free product or monetary exchange took place.

Child Passenger Safety LATCH Campaign‏

Here is some important child passenger safety information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Ad Council...

I would like you to know that there are wonderful resources available for free to help you make safe choices about car seats and to help you use your car seats properly for maximum safety.


- Twitter: An actual safety expert mans the @ChildSeatSafety account on Twitter, and they will continue to answer any questions that parents have about child passenger safety. This is such a unique resource from a government agency!

- Facebook: NHTSA has a Facebook page at http://facebook.com/childpassengersafety where parents can learn about everything from LATCH to locating inspection offices.

- Websites: The Ad Council and the NHTSA have created a site with all the resources parents need to keep their smallest passengers safe: http://childcarsafety.adcouncil.org
Find your local inspection station, watch instructional videos, and even take a fun quiz!

Child Passenger Safety: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps

Inspection Station Locator: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm

Recall Information from NHTSA:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/subscriptions/index.cfm

Child Seat Registration:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.gov/recalls/register/childseat

DISCLAIMER: Momfluence graciously gave me the information for this campaign. Amy Lupold Bair, founder of Momfluence, is acting on behalf of NHTSA's child passenger safety efforts and so am I by posting this information.

Learning Curve - The First Years - Kickin Coaster Review

Because I am a Learning Curve Community Member and a member of the LearningCurve.com Parents Council I am periodically informed of wonderful opportunities to test some of Learning Curve's products or products by their many wonderful brands like The First Years. If you have not heard about the Learning Curve they have an vast array of different baby, toddler, and child products. They carry developmental toys, safety and care products, and feeding and soothing products. I love their developmental toys for all of my children.

The product that I tested out is called a Kickin' Coaster by The First Years. It looks a little like a baby bouncer chair. Looks; however, can be deceiving! This thing is the coolest baby seat I have ever seen! My 4 month old daughter, Teela, loved it from the start. That is her in the picture :) Instead of bouncing a little when the baby moves or kicks its legs it has a kick plate that when kicked makes the seat glide backwards in a smooth movement. Teela had a bit of trouble getting her legs to push the seat all the way back back, but she got it to move a little. I think babies that are a bit older than her would be able to push it the whole distance without any trouble at all. Below the fabric seat it has a switch that locks the seat into position so that it cannot be pushed backwards. It has three musical settings with lights that go with the music. The settings are: happy playful music all the time, soothing music all the time, and happy playful music when kick plate is kicked. It also has three settings: off, low, and high for vibration and the same for volume. The music is nice and not annoying like some toys. It also has a cute little monkey and kangaroo that seem to wiggle when the kick plate is kicked. Teela loved the rattle that is attached and the infant headrest to lay her head on while in the chair. These two items are both detachable. The fabric seat is easily removed and machine washable. This is a great product and I thank Learning Curve for letting Teela and I test it out!