The Daily Fuss

Happy Birthday Grandma!

 

Love,

The Girls

Unlikely Tourist

I saw this on Dooce today and simply could not resist. Right down to the fanny pack, it's too much.

  

What the Fuss? Flipping Out

How much effort does it really take to effectively chronicle the most important moments? Not much if you have the right gadget.

First steps, first words and random bouts of hilarity happen in split seconds, and we wouldn't have captured any of it so candidly without the Flip Mino HD. We couldn't possibly have such footage of Leighton if I had to dig a handycam out of the closet every other day. Telling a child to "hold that pose" as she laughs milk out of her nose just isn't going to work.

Luckily, 1986 is safely behind us. The 2010 Mino HD fits in the palm of your hand and holds up to 120 minutes of high definition video. Point, shoot, upload, enjoy. Easy peasy.

So easy, in fact, a baby can operate it.

It boasts a wide screen, plugs directly into your USB and comes complete with groovy editing software. At $229, a bargain indeed. Still, if this bad boy is a budget buster, you can procure the 60 minute regular Mino for $149 or the 60 minute HD Mino for $199 instead.

The standard model comes in black or brushed silver. You can also design your own with an uploaded image or choose from an array of bright and sleek designs. If you land anywhere on the OCD spectrum, you should consider opting for a design. Original black shows every little fingerprint in a way that could send someone right over the edge.

For those of you concerned about the adverse effect your trembling hand may have on the recoded image, this handy little device has remarkable "shimmy-control". The picture comes out far cleaner than any other hand held recorder I've seen.

Here's a sample of me chasing an overtired eleven month-old around the kitchen way past her bedtime - the worst possible circumstances. Even Scorsese's crew would have had a tough time shooting this subject.

Incidentally, all other videos posted to thedailyfuss where I'm not conducting a bedtime high-speed chase were shot with the Mino HD, as well.

Due to our insane appreciation for this handy camera and the joy it brings, the Flip Mino HD makes The Daily Fuss list of parent must-haves.

This product review conforms to the Fuss Formula.

Please share your fuss with us! Facebook Fans can upload videos to The Daily Fuss page on Facebook. We'd love to see your wee ones in action.

What the Fuss? Squeezable Fruit

Build it and they will come. Or build a package to safely deliver organic squeezable fruit to your kid and companies will fill 'em.

My mom gave us treats as we headed to the airport last week for vacation. It included Plum Tots Mish Mash and Revolution Foods Mash Ups - basically mashed organic fruit in BPA free, foil-lined pouches with built in straw-type spouts. Kids can squeeze the fruit mash into their mouths while sucking from the straw.

Clearly too tough for a ten-month-old? NOPE. Lei sucked it down like a little champ. And, I have a feeling she could have done it months ago. She's been a straw-drinker for months.

So I gave Plum Tots extra points for the clever packaging, but as it turns out I have been under a rock since Lei was born. I totally missed the squeezable organic fruit revolution. I also missed the baby spacefood/MRE revolution of full meals in a pouch but you'll have to look for those in another post.

Here are your options for roughly $1 each:

1) Plum Tots Mish Mash

2) Revolution Foods Mashups

3) Happy Baby Pouches

4) Peter Rabbit Organics Fruit Snack

5) Materne Go Go Squeeze Applesauces

6) Organic Smashies Smashed Fruit and Applesauce

They are all organic, additive-free and come in BPA-free packaging. Some are only fruit, some have legumes, grains and veggies involved and a few are applesauce-centric. Click on the video to see Lei in action with some Mashups.

Lei loves Plum Tots Mish Mash, Revolution Mashups and the Happy Baby pouches. We haven't tried the others yet, but included them for your convenience. If we missed some, please let us know.

Yum!

This product review conforms to the Fuss Formula.

Have you tried squeezable smashed fruits and such? Let us know what you think. Please leave a comment and share your fuss with us.

WIN IT! and WTF? Follow Up: Tummy Tub

We've created so much fuss over the Tummy Tub we decided to give one away and let you (and your wee ones) decide for yourselves whether this baby bather is all that it's cracked up to be. Read through this What the Fuss? follow up, leave a comment and be entered for a chance to win your very own Tummy Tub.

WHAT THE FUSS? FOLLOW UP

We tried the Tummy Tub and stand back in July, when Leighton was only eight weeks old. It wasn't the best experience and I said as much in What the Fuss? Tummy Tub. I was contacted by the Tummy Tub distributor for the US, Janis McKellar, who found my review to be entirely too harsh and thought that I should have reached out to her for more info. Not in the mood to argue the validity of my thoughtful opinion, I agreed to give the Tummy Tub another shot.

Leighton and I purchased a brand new, original Tummy Tub on Amazon for $42.70 plus shipping. I avoided the stand this time because it was too tippy for my little jumping bean. Plus, it cost another $50 and $100 for a tub situation is a bit much. So, I skipped it. If you want to buy it or a curious in any way, here it is.

Janis did have a compelling response to my remarks on the price:

• Tummy Tubs are produced in Europe & Israel, as opposed to China. Everything is CPSIA compliant and has passed the highest safety standards.
• Tummy Tub plastic is the highest quality available.
• Standard infant tubs are often made of inferior quality plastic resulting in the purchase of more than one. Plus, standard tubs are only comfortable for a short period of time resulting in the purchase of a larger tub and/or toddler seat. The Tummy Tub can work for tots up to nearly two years of age.

Well-played Tummy Tub lady. I am never one to turn my nose up at products made from quality materials in fully developed countries. For the actual tub piece, $42.70 is not a bad price for a bathing device that goes from newborn to toddler.

Now, as far as utility, I will say that after using the Tummy Tub all week, I was often wet and it was hard to rinse Lei's head because I like to tip her back in the tub to avoid getting water in her eyes. As far as pooping in the tub, well ... she did that in the big tub this morning and admittedly, it would have been a hell of a lot easier to clean up if she had been in the Tummy Tub.

With regard to Leighton's Tummy Tub reviews they were mixed. When I first put her in it, she was interested and happy. But, I filled it up too high initially and had to "pause" her bath to remove some of the water. When I put her back in, she was mad at me, wouldn't sit down and abused me with a washcloth.

That's basically the story all week. If Lei was in a good mood, Tummy Tub time went fine. If she was cranky or tired ... not so much. See Happy Lei below.
 

In retrospect, I may have been a overly critical of the Tummy Tub in my initial review. This time around, Leighton found it rather enjoyable, for the most part. Plus, it's cute, conscientiously produced and a few readers commented that they love Tummy Tub. If the tub had a more practical stand, I would be inclined to try that too.

I think whether the Tummy Tub works for any family depends on both the parents and the child. As Janis remarked to me, "it boils down to what your priority is ... easy bathing experience for mom or dad or comfort for baby."  For me, it's both, and baby's comfort comes first. However, If baby isn't comfortable it may not work out.

Leighton and I may shelve the Tummy Tub, but I will definitely pull it out for another adventure if and when baby number two comes along.

This product review conforms to the Fuss Formula. 

WIN AN ORIGINAL TUMMY TUB

1. Leave a comment to this post telling us your favorite or least favorite thing about bath time.

2.  Comments close on 1/20 at 5PM CDT.

3. Your official comment posted during the specified time frame counts as an entry.

4. Your comment posted to the Facebook announcement of this giveaway will count as an entry too.

5. One comment will be selected as the winner.

6. Comments will each be assigned a number and winners will be chosen randomly using Random.org.

7. The winner will be announced on January 21, 2010.

8. The prize is one original Tummy Tub as pictured above. ($43 value)

GOOD LUCK!