Top Thirteen Uses for a Microfiber Cloth

I first encountered microfiber cloths in the Solutions Catalog. I'd get the promo emails and I'd drool, then I'd delete the email and go about my day. They were cloths. We had cloths. I didn't need any more.

Oh, if only I'd known.

I can't remember what pushed me to finally order a set from Amazon. (I'm pretty sure it was the Active Ion demonstration.) My 36 Zipes Microfiber Cloths arrived and our lives changed.

OK. Maybe that's a bit extreme. But still! Do you know how awesome these things are? Even M is a convert and he didn't even complain too much when I bought another set of 36 from Costco. (What? They were bigger. And on sale. And. And. I needed more. Plus, I've been giving them as gifts. So there.)

Don't believe me? Well, maybe this list of top thirteen things you can do with microfiber cloths will convince you! (It started as a top ten list, but I couldn't stop...)

1. Best dust cloths ever. They trap dust like nobody's business.
2. Best window washing cloths ever. They don't leave any little lint streaks behind. Seriously.
3. Replacement for Swiffer wet AND dry cloths. Save the environment and never run out! Squeee!
4. Best dishcloths ever. One swipe of a microfiber cloth over a plate and it's instantly dry. Even better, one microfiber cloth will dry a mountain of dishes!
5. Best hand towel ever. Dry your hands and they're instantly dry. Say goodbye to that clammy not quite dry feeling you get from dishcloths.
6. Burp cloths! Do you have a baby who seems to spit up more than he drinks? Large microfiber cloths will be your saving grace. Super soft and super absorbent. Need I say more?
7. Cloth diaper liner. I'm not a cloth diaperer, but I know a mom who swears by these. It makes sense, they absorb a ton of liquid and they're super soft.
8. Sop up spills. Kids spill something on a rug, bed, or carpet? Use a microfiber cloth to mop up the spill. You'll get more out of that carpet than you would with a regular towel or dishcloth. (Even works on toddler pee! Don't ask me how I know.)
9. Car multipurpose cloth. Use it to dust the dash, mop up spills, clean messy kids, whatever comes up. And you know it does.
10. Screen cleaner. A tiny bit of moisture and some gentle elbowgrease and all those fingerprints, smudges, and whatever else is clouding up your computer screen, TV screen, or phone screen will be history.
11. Jewelry and silver polish. Gentle enough for all your most valuable valuables, tough enough for the grime covering them.
12. Baby and kid wipes. A damp microfiber cloth will wipe a chocolatey face clean faster than any paper towel. And if you're trying to be a greener parent you could do worse than use a stack of these instead of disposable wipes. A little spray bottle of water and you're set to handle the most foul of diapers!
13. CD/DVD cleaner. In a house filled with children there are few CDs that aren't covered in fingerprints and unidentifiable sticky substances. These cloths can make them shine like new again.

Have I convinced you yet? Buy a set, if you're not an instant convert you can send them to me. I bet I can find a thing or ten to do with them.

Graco Blossom Highchair Review

Your baby's highchair needs are going to change radically over the years. Your infant needs to recline and your bigger baby needs to be strapped in tight and well supported. Your toddler is going to want to sit in a booster, not a highchair, and your preschooler, well, let's not even go there.

What if I told you that Graco had designed a single highchair system that fulfills every single one of those roles? Nope, no kidding, they have. The Blossom 4-in-1 Seating System is hands down the most versatile highchair I have ever seen or had the luxury of trying out.

The infant insert turns the impressively reclinable chair into a cushy haven for even the tiniest baby. Set up the chair long before your baby will even try his first solids so that he can enjoy sitting at the table with the family.

When your little one is ready to try finger feeding herself, put the seat in it's upright position and put the really large and easy to clean tray to work. The five point harness and padded sides will help even wobbly sitters sit up properly.

Toddler tired of the tray and wants to join the family at the table? No problem, remove the tray and pull up the chair. The six height adjustment options mean that you'll be sure to find the perfect position for your baby to eat comfortably with everyone else.

Ready to graduate to a simple booster? Need an extra chair for a visiting toddler? No problem. The Blossom 4-in-1 Seating System comes with a booster. Yes, a second seat. Meaning that it's the only chair on the market that can be used by two children at once. Trust me, until you have a second child and are faced with needing to buy a second highchair you won't quite grasp the awesomeness of this feature.

Preschooler shunning all things highchair or booster related, but can't quite reach the table? The Blossom turns into a youth chair that your child can use comfortably until he's really ready to graduate to a grown-up chair.

The Blossom 4-in-1 Seating System is an amazing product that was easy to assemble and easy to clean. We're obsessed with it and we're telling all our friends to put it on their baby registries.

Graco Blossom 4-in-1 Seating System Seating System Pros:

- Easy to assemble.
- Insanely versatile - useful from infancy through childhood.
- Comes in 3 classy patterns.
- Safe, sturdy, and great looking.

Graco Blossom 4-in-1 Seating System Cons:

- The footrest was a bit tricky to install, something that I'm confident was just a fluke with out model because I haven't heard of any other users complaining from that issue.
- The section of the tray that goes between the child's legs is a bit big and if the child is slouching when you put them in it can compress their crotch area a bit uncomfortably. Making sure the child sits up properly resolves this issue. Great for posture! Not so great for sensitive children.

If you're looking for a highchair/feeding system you really can't go wrong with this product. It's made by Graco so you know it will stand up to the test of time and you will be able to really appreciate all its versatile options.

I was in no way compensated for this review and I am only affiliated with Graco as a Brand Ambassador which is a non paying position.

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Chic Tots Travel Blanket/Bag Review

If you hadn't noticed yet, babies come with stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. You can never just pick up your child and jet. No, instead you have to gather boatloads of supplies before you leave. Just to go to the park you have to remember the blanket, diapers, wipes, toys, snacks, drinks, hats, sunscreen, and even maybe a lovey. It's a pain. Literally.

No, what if instead of having to carry a bag and a blanket you could carry a bag that was a blanket? Brilliant, right? The people at Chic Tots thought so! They designed a nifty little bag that doubles as a small blanket.

While the bag wouldn't probably ever double as your regular diaper bag - it doesn't have the kinds of pockets you would probably want to stash all your usual baby paraphernalia and it doesn't close all the way - it's the perfect sidekick for a trip to the park or the beach.

Throw your diapers, toys, and snacks onto the blanket, grab the straps and pull the bag closed. When you arrive at your destination, place the bag on the ground and open it up to reveal a soft fuzzy blanket for your baby. Brilliant.

Go the extra mile and invest in the matching diaper Wristlet, which can hold a couple diapers and some wipes, and you're set for a ton of fun outings!

Chic Tots Travel Blanket/Bag Pros:

- Snazy patterns that you won't mind carrying around.
- Practical combination of blanket and bag, leaving you free to carry one less item on your outings.
- Super soft fake fur lining that will keep your baby cozy and warm.
- Can be used as a back pack, shoulder bag, tote, or stroller bag.
- Fully machine washable.

Chic Tots Travel Blanket/Bag Cons:

- The blanket is not very big, just 29x38 inches. So it's big enough for a baby to sit and play on, but not big enough for any other member of the family to share.
-The straps a bit tight, so it's not all that easy to transform the blanket into a bag. I would think that it would get easier as the bag loosens up with use.
- This isn't a one handed transformation product. You need both hands to convert the blanket into a bag or vice versa. By the same token transforming the bag into a shoulder bag or a back pack requires the use of both hands.
- The bag doesn't close completely, making it impractical as a day to day diaper bag.

As the weather warms up and the trips to the park multiply you'd do well to invest in this handy little bag. I guarantee you'll get a lot of use out of it! Chic Tots products are just about to hit the shelves at some major retailers, but in the meantime check out all their other fabulous products here.

Disclaimer: I received both the Chic Tots blanket bag and wristlet for review, but I was in no other way compensated for this post. The opinions listed here are all my own.

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Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat Review & Giveaway

First there's the infant car seat, then the convertible car seat, then a first booster, sometimes followed by a second booster. Car seats are like maternity clothes, you think you're going to need just one kind, then you realize that little bodies grow the exact same way your pregnant body grew. Obvious, right? But who would have also guessed that their car seat needs would grow right along with them?

The beauty of the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat is that it allows your child to grow at his own rate. Start out using it as a 5 point harness slightly reclined car seat and as your child grows graduate to using it as a booster with a supportive back, and finally as a backless booster. The fact that you only have to buy one car seat that does all three is really quite ingenious!

Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat Pros:
- Memory foam padding for extra comfort.
- Adjustable headrest.
- Large range of patterns and colors to chose from.
- Cup holder and secret armrest compartment for stashing toys.
- Three reclining positions.
- Extended five point harness designed to hold a 65lb child.
- Graco build and attention to detail.
- It retails between $150 and $180, a really great price for such a highly safety rated car seat.

Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat Cons:
- The Nautilus isn't designed to be used rear facing. So if your child outgrows his infant car seat before turning one you'll need to also purchase a convertible car seat until he can sit forward facing.
- It's not the easiest car seat to take apart and clean in case of a spill or a car sick incident. That said, once you have managed to remove the car seat cover all of it is fully machine washable!

Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat Giveaway!

I am beyond thrilled to be giving away a Nautilus car seat to one lucky Lemonade Stand winner!

To enter:
1) Visit the Nautilus section of the Graco Baby website and leave a comment letting me know which Nautilus car seat pattern you covet.
2) Explore the rest of the Graco Baby website and let me know what other products you love.
3) Tell me about your favorite Graco product.
4) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Leave a comment telling me you subscribed.
5) Subscribe to my other blog's feed. Leave a comment telling me you subscribed.
6) Tweet, email, blog about this giveaway.

That's a grand total of 8 ways you can enter! Please remember to leave me a way to contact you. And please, please, please, leave a separate comment for each of your entries. I can't credit you for each of them if you don't.

Giveaway ends Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at 10pm PST.

****This giveaway is officially closed!****
Thank you for stopping by. Make sure to check out all my other great giveaways!

I was in no way compensated for this review or this giveaway and I am only affiliated with Graco as a Brand Ambassador which is a non paying position.

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Higher Higher & Happy Baby Sad Baby - Reviews of the Leslie Patricelli books

You all know how much we love books around here, so you won't be surprised to learn that we've found more books that we love. Until I received two Leslie Patricelli books I can't say I'd ever noticed her books on shelves before, now I'm resisting the urge to go out and buy the whole collection.

Baby Happy Baby Sad is a simple board book showing the roller-coaster of emotions that babies confront every day. Happy to have ice cream! Sad when you drop it! Sad when you slip! Happy again when mommy picks you up!

Little L is just learning to pick up on emotional cues and she loves to flip through the pages pointing out the sad babies. She always asks "Why cwayin?" Then we talk about why the baby is sad and what makes him happy again. Suggested price $6.99.

Higher! Higher! is just as simple, but with paper pages instead. Gorgeous pictures show the simple tale of a quasi-magical ride through the air on the upswing of a slide. C loves to pretend that she's the little girl flying so high, and Little L just gets a kick out of reading the story to herself and noticing all the little details on the page - the cat in the window of the skyscraper, the doggy at the window of the plane. Suggested price $15.99, but on "just released" sale at Amazon right now.

Baby Happy Baby Sad & Higher! Higher! pros:
- Gorgeous images that look like they've been painted on canvas before being turned into whimsical books.
- Sweet characters that any child could easily relate to.
- Very simple and effective story lines that babies and young children never tire of hearing over and over again.

Baby Happy Baby Sad & Higher! Higher! cons:
- Well, the only con here, and I'd like to point out that M is the only one with this issue, the stories are very repetitive and simple. He gets tired of repeating the same words over and over again. I disagree. I think the simplicity of the words is what makes these books so much fun!

Clearly C and Little L agree with me!

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Baby Lists by Elaine Farber - Review

Are you a list maker? I'm a list maker. I make lists before packing for a trip. I make to do lists. I make lists for baby sitters and for any other care giver. If a list can be made, trust me I'll make it. That's why I find Elaine Farber's book Baby Lists: What to Do and What to Get to Prepare for Baby absolutely brilliant.

Elaine Farber has compiled all the lists an expectant or brand new parent could ever need. Buying and Packing a Diaper Bag? She's got it. What do you need for bath time? She's got it. Traveling? She's got you covered. I'm not kidding, there's even a list for Baby Keepsakes. I love it!


Baby Lists by Elaine Farber pros:
- Every little thing that you might need to worry about or prepare for baby's arrival is contained in this book.
- The lists are comprehensive, but clear, and the whole layout is easy to navigate.
- Each item has the website listed next to it so you don't have to waste time searching online.
- Handy Shopping Appendix with a detailed list of websites where you can shop to your heart's content.

Baby Lists by Elaine Farber cons:
- If you're not a list maker this is really not the book for you.
- I kept wishing that the book would go one step further and include key lists that you need on hand after the baby arrives - fever chart, over the counter medication chart, Toddler feeding needs, etc. But since the book is subtitled "What to DO and What to Get to Prepare for Baby" I might have been expecting too much.

Bottom line: Great book for Type-A expectant parents. Buy it for yourself, buy it for your friend, and then make sure you cross that off your to do list!

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