With the incredible success of the Radian car seat, Sunshine Kids has nervous competitors watching the up-and-coming car seat behemoth very closely.  Their second entry into the category does not disappoint. The Monterey booster seat achieves the same goal as the Radian did - to take a traditional seat concept, redesign it from top to bottom and make it more innovative and more long-lasting than anything that preceded it.

The primary goal for the Monterey was longevity. Sunshine Kids wanted kids to feel comfortable in a booster seat for a long, long time, reasoning that the more appealing the seat was, the less likely they’d be to put up a fight about sitting in it. Most booster seats offer adjustable headrests, and the Monterey does, too. But they’ve gone a step further with adjustable sidewalls that make the seat roomy for kids of all shapes and sizes. The seat is recommended for kids from 30 to 120 lbs. The height can be adjusted to accommodate kids from 38″ to 63″. So yes, a small adult could sit in it. The seat is lined with high-density EPE foam for extra cushioning. I sat in it at the ABC show (even though I’m theoretically too big), and it was really, truly comfortable. The deep sidewalls provide side-impact protection without seeming restrictive. The seat has LATCH connectors that can be used to position the seat in the car. These are not as elegantly done as, say, the Clek, with basic clips instead of rigid, pushbutton connectors, but it will do the trick to keep the seat from flopping around when there’s no kid holding it down. There are deep cupholders, too. Most conveniently, the seat can be transformed into a backless booster, so you’ll have some room to compromise with your kids as they get older. Although if I were taking a long car trip, I’d want to sit in the Monterey over a regular automobile seat any day of the week.

On May 21, Baskin Robbins is offering a free 3 oz. cone of their new soft-serve ice cream to any pregnant woman. The catch is, you have to live near a Baskin Robbins that has already launched this new menu item, and those locations are few and far between. And not in Boston. Which particularly stinks because I am a devout (and I do mean devout) worshiper of soft-serve.

You can find it in many spots throughout New York City, as well as select stores in California, Chicago, Nashville, TN and El Paso, TX. There’s no mention on the site as to whether or not you have to be visibly pregnant (good luck to them with that), but if you’re expecting and you live near one of these Baskin Robbins locations, please go out on Wednesday and have a free cone for me.

For more information, visit http://www.baskinrobbins.com/spotlight/bumpday.aspx

If you have the temperament for it, one of the most fun parts of preparing for a new baby is decorating the nursery. Even for a decor-challenged mom-to-be (that’s me), there’s a thrill to choosing the colors and patterns that will adorn the baby’s room. Bedding is a big piece of the puzzle, and most well-dressed cribs sport a bumper.

I’m not sure when or how bumpers became so mainstream; I couldn’t find anything on the history of the crib bumper (shocking, I know). But my guess is that they came about shortly after cribs became popular. In theory, bumpers are designed to keep babies from hurting themselves on the hard slats of a crib. They prevent limbs from getting stuck, heads from getting bumped, etc. They made the inside of the crib seem a bit cozier, quieter and more protective. They also make the crib look less like a cage, which I suspect is a big part of the subconscious appeal.

But are they safe? Well. Most experts say no, that the added padding is just as dangerous as having a blanket or stuffed animal in the crib. This doesn’t stop most parents from using them, though (no comment). But the rising chorus of warnings have spurned several parent-entrepreneurs to explore alternatives to the traditional bumper design. One of the newest on the market is the Cozy Wedge, from the same brilliant people who brought us the Burp Catcher.

The Cozy Wedge is a set of triangular foam wedges, made of the same nonabsorbent foam as a pool noodle. It comes with a machine-washable slipcover, and the wedges interlock to surround the crib on all four sides. It does not pose a suffocation risk because the foam is firm enough that it won’t form a pocket around a baby’s mouth. It provides just enough height to keep a pacifier inside the crib, and protect against most head-banging and limb-flailing.

Because the foam is so firm, the Cozy Wedge is intentionally low-profile, so as not to become a step-stool for aiding and abetting crib escapees. So it doesn’t really perform the same decorative function as a regular bumper, nor does it provide the sense of quiet isolation. The slipcovers come in solid, organic twill cotton or cute cotton prints. The fashions are not quite on the same level as many of the bedding options available, but if you’re feeling nervous about a bumper, this is a good compromise.

I know, I’m falling way behind. I’ve actually not been feeling so hot. I’m not going to burden everyone with the details, but the pregnancy is not at risk, and I am bouncing around from doctor to doctor to figure out exactly what’s wrong with me so I can fix it. What an adventure it is, when the body starts acting all mysterious. Thank goodness, modern medicine has us so accustomed to straightforward diagnoses that it’s jarring when a doctor can’t just tell you what’s going on and write a prescription.

The (very) good news is, it’s clearly nothing too serious. The bad news is, it’s keeping me from updating the blog as often as I should. Hopefully, I will feel up to going to NYC for the ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) next week, and I’ll have lots to talk about from that. Meanwhile, I’ll try to get to some topics I’ve been meaning to cover.

Six years ago, when I was a first-time mom and before Magic Beans, I “discovered” these neat new baby shoes that actually stayed on my daughter’s feet. Finally, no more lost socks! It was a revelation. It was no small wonder that Robeez caught on in a big way. Now they are pretty much ubiquitous. The designs have come a long way since that first pair I bought, and Robeez has grown into a mature company. Mature enough, in fact, to attract the attention of Stride Rite, which bought the company last year.

Earlier this year, Robeez debuted Tredz, their line of toddler shoes, which offer a thicker sole and more traditional shoe-like designs. This was a logical next step for them, and the Tredz have had a warm reception from parents. Now, their newest introduction is The Luxury Collection, a line of high-end soft-soled shoes that uses super-premium, buttery soft leather, offers a cushioned insole and features designs that are more elegant than whimsical. They also offer a slightly different sizing scale with a new 0-3 month size that is significantly smaller than their traditional 0-6 month shoe, which generally swims on little newborn feet. The packaging is beautiful and very appealing for gift-givers looking to find something special for a new arrival.

Yesterday, I received a statement from the JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association), the well-respected organization that, among many other functions, sets safety standards for many of the most common baby products on the market. In this statement, the JPMA continues to deny the risk of using baby bottles produced with BPA (bisphenol A). The media has been having a field day with this topic over the past six months, mostly stemming from the work of an organization called the Environmental Working Group. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably not sure what to make of all the fuss.

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Today, Britax officially announced their newest seat, the Frontier. This forward-facing seat is designed to hold a child from 25-80 pounds using the 5-point harness, and 40-100 pounds as a belt-positioning booster.

This seat fills a hole in the Britax product line, and should be a nice option for parents looking to keep their kids in a 5-point harness for longer periods of time. To me, the only real competition with this seat is the Safeguard Go, which sports an unconventional design that emphasizes portability, and accordingly doesn’t offer the cushioning and side-impact protection of the Frontier.

For those of you who like measurements (and I know you’re out there), I’ve gotten a full set of specs from Britax. I will try and include the highlights, but if I’ve left out something important, forgive me. Just leave a note in the comments, and I’ll try to get an answer.

The seat weighs 23.5 lbs. The exterior width of the seat is 19.5″, and the height can range (depending on the headrest setting) from 22-27.5″. The seat area is 13.5″ deep and 12″ wide. The top harness slot is 18.25″ high.

The only downside of the Frontier is that you can’t go straight into it from your infant car seat. I understand why they did this, though. Britax is committed to encouraging parents to keep their children rear-facing as long as possible, and to offer this seat with a 20 pound weight minimum would accomplish the opposite goal. From a safety perspective, it is better to go from an infant car seat to a convertible and then into a Frontier. The Radian 80 from Sunshine Kids is still perhaps a better long-term investment, because it is a convertible seat that will hold a child in a 5-point harness up to 80 pounds. But it doesn’t become a booster seat, and trust me when I tell you it’s a battle to convince a 6-year-old to wear a 5-point harness.

The timing of the Frontier is fortuitous in that it coincides nicely with the new car seat law that will go into effect in Massachusetts this summer. More on that later…

I’ve been going to the Big Apple Circus for a long time, but it still came as a bit of a shock to realize that they are celebrating their 30th Anniversary this year. A circus is supposed to be a long-standing institution. It’s not supposed to be approximately the same age as me. How can I be older than a circus???

Fortunately, this fact didn’t penetrate until I was already sitting under the big top tonight, and it’s hard to feel old when you’re sitting in a striped tent and eating cotton candy. For their 30th Anniversary show, the circus has gone back to its roots. Over the past few years, it seemed like the success of Cirque du Soleil was giving The Big Apple Circus a serious identity crisis. The mood started to turn darker, and the acts got a bit weirder. But this year, the show is turning its back on all things bizarre and embracing the charm and simplicity of a classic circus. It wasn’t overly flashy, but it was really entertaining.

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There’s a relatively new board book from Workman Publishing that is creating quite a stir, and small wonder. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before in a board book. Take a look at this YouTube video, and you’ll understand why Gallop is currently #1 on the New York Times Best-Seller List for Children’s Books. The technique is called scanimation and it’s a fascinating (and utterly low-tech) way to bring pictures in a book to life.

When you have a new baby, packing light to go anywhere is nothing short of comical. Babies may be small, but it always seems like you need a lot of stuff. And the longer you’ll be away from home, the more you’ll need. A full day’s worth of supplies - diapers, wipes, a couple of changes of clothes, a few receiving blankets and a stack of burp cloths don’t easily fit into a typical diaper bag. If you’re pumping or giving a bottle, forget about it. But recently, The Bumble Collection debuted their new Natalie bag, an extra-large diaper bag that’s designed for day trips and weekends.

Like all Bumble Bags, the Natalie features the beautiful patterns hand-designed by Jennie Lynn, the founder of The Bumble Collection. The fabric is soft and lightweight, and is both water- and stain-resistant. The changing pad zips into the side pocket to create a handy station for floor or table changes, and can be detached for use in public bathrooms or other tight spaces. The main compartment is very roomy with several pockets for organization, including hidden zippered pockets. There are two insulated pockets on the sides for bottles, sippy cups or snacks, and a mesh compartment in the changing pocket perfect for holding all the essentials. The bag comes with both tote-style straps and a removable long shoulder strap, and it can also be hooked onto the handles of a stroller.

The Natalie is machine washable (dry flat), the lining is soil-proof and in spite of the size, it’s a beautiful, feminine bag. The best part of all is that The Bumble Collection is donating a whopping 20% of their sales of the Natalie to Horizons for Homeless Children, a Boston-based organization that works to help stabilize the lives of homeless children by providing them with support and education.

I love this bag because you can buy it before the baby comes, use it as your hospital suitcase (when you can still actually pack light), and then use it for years as a supersized diaper bag or family-friendly weekend tote.