Britax is well known for their safety record and has been very successful in the convertible car seat market but has struggled some in the infant car seat catagory.  That may have all changed with their introduction 6 months ago of the Chaperone Infant Carrier and stroller.  We haven't had a chance to test out their stroller yet but we have had an opportunity to play with the new infant car seat.  This new car seat will fit children who weigh 4 - 30 lbs.                    

Some of it's features include:

• True Side Impact Protection distributes crash forces, shields from vehicle intrusion, contains the head and body, and keeps the head, neck and spine in true or aligned, to limit injury
• Anti-Rebound Bar stabilizes child seat by minimizing rotational forces associated with front and rear collisions
• Quick-Adjust Head Restraint & No Re-Thread Harness easily adjust the harness shoulder height and head restraint without disassembling the harness
• Extra Large Canopy blocks wind, rain and harmful UV rays from babys sensitive skin
• Ergonomic Carry Handle designed to contour to forearm and body to allow for more comfortable carrying of child in carrier

We particularly like the no re-thread harness feature and the fact that it has seven, yes seven, positions for that growing baby.  Another cool feature is that the buckle strap that comes up between the legs has two positions.  Britax products always seem to be very user friendly and this seems to follow the pattern.  So far, it looks like a thumbs up but we will be demonstrating it in more workshops in the coming months and get back to you with additional feedback.

Disclaimer:  Before & After received a Chaperone Infant Carrier from Britax to review and evaluate complimentary through the NBPA’s Manufacturer Relations Program  - no monetary gain was received from this review.

So sorry it has taken me so long to post pics of the new addition! I know everybody has been anxious to see her!

Meet...Kellyn Rose Chambers
Born November 11th at 10:58am
8 lbs. 1 oz. , 20 in.

Sponsored by Seventh Generation, join the crawl to action and say NO to toxins at www.millionbabycrawl.com
Event: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 from 10 AM - 2 PM at the Southdale Center, Center Court
Learn about safe household products, experience live entertainment, a children's interactive play area AND free seventh generation products.

We are big supporters of Seventh Generation Diapers and reducing toxic chemicals for the next generation.

Thank you to our local cloth diaper manufacturer...SoftBums!

I was lucky enough to have the most amazing diaper cake included in one of my baby showers. This isn't your typical diaper cake though...it's made from CLOTH diapers - specifically SoftBums cloth diapers. This cake was made from the cloth diapers my family members purchased for me, multiple diaper inserts, the cutest wet bag, toys, and various other decorations.

Take a look at the softbums website for information on how you can get a cloth diaper cake of your own!   www.softbums.com

Why make your own baby food????

 - You know baby is getting fresh & healthy food
 - You know it doesn't contain salt, sugar, or other preservatives
 - You will save money!!!


The average cost of an ounce of jarred baby food runs about $0.20. Homemade baby food will run about $0.02-$0.03! That sure can add up!

Here are a few of our favorite baby food recipes...

Carrot & Ginger Delight:

16oz (2 cups) carrots, washed &/or peeled, diced

1Tbsp Butter (Babies need fat in their diet to replace what they lose from formula or breastmilk)

1/8 tsp. Ginger

Place carrots into a saucepan with about 1 c. water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 8-10min. or until tender. Drain carrots (save cooking liquid) and place in food processor or blender. Add butter and ginger. Blend until smooth adding approximately 1/2 cup cooking liquid to thin. Scoop mixture into ice cube tray, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze. Once frozen, pop out and place in freezer bag, label, and date. Will last 1-3 months in freezer. Thaw in refrigerator overnight or microwave briefly to warm.


Avocado & Banana Supreme:

1 small , ripe banana

1 avocado

Peel both fruits and mash together and serve! It's easy as that!

Avocado is an ideal baby food. With it's smooth texture and nutty flavor, this ultimate healthy food is perfect for a starter baby food.


Peas w/ Curry:

1 pkg (10oz.) frozen peas, cooked and drained

1/3 c. plain yogurt

1/4 tsp. Curry powder

Puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.