Mom Central Baby

Stokke TRIPP TRAPP highchair review and giveaway

Can you tell which of these high chairs is 32 years old?

Right after I was born my Great Aunt Edythe gave my parents a Stokke TRIPP TRAPP high chair as a baby gift.  Now, 32 years later, it's still going strong.  The cool thing about TRIPP TRAPP chairs is that they "grow" with you.  Simply by moving the wooden slats around, the chair works for 6 month old babies and 300 pound adults.  Check out the Stokke website for a demo.  (The woman featured does not weigh 300 pounds, but still!)

My parents loved the chair so much they gave it to at least two of my little cousins. My Aunt Marjorie still has my cousin Michael's Tripp Trapp from 27-ish years ago and it's in perfect condition.

The Tripp Trapp is a great chair for so many practical reasons: kids can pull right up to the dinner table and really be a part of the meal, the chair works for babies, toddlers, kids, and up, plus it's super easy to clean.  But I also love it for the aesthetics.  I love that it's not plastic and and doesn't scream "BABY!"

A few months ago I started to research how to find a child-safety bar for the front of my TRIPP TRAPP.  The original was lost years ago, unfortunately.  And then, the stars started to align ....

I attended BlogHer this past July and was randomly invited to a special Stokke event.  When I showed up my first question was: How do I find a replacement bar?  The very nice folks from Stokke explained that the new safety seats were not compatible with the older chairs which bummed me out.  I had a great evening with a bunch of pregnant mom bloggers and we learned about the Tripp Trapp chair and some of Stokke's other products, like the Xplory stroller and Sleepi crib.  I was the only mom-to-be there who had actually used a TRIPP TRAPP chair in my youth and yes I did feel like a bit of a celebrity!

At the end of the evening the Stokke folks announced that all the party attendees would receive TRIPP TRAPP chairs as long as we filled out a consumer survey.  I was - and still am - extremely excited!  Of course I filled out my survey right away and we received our brand spankin' new cherry Tripp Trapp a couple weeks ago.  My husband and I set up up and we are ready to go!  Now we just need to have a baby.

Mom Central TRIPP TRAPP chair giveaway

Stokke is also giving away one new TRIPP TRAPP chair to one very lucky Mom Central community member. The giveaway also includes the baby set and cushion accessories.  This is a huge prize as the chair typically retails for between $250 and $300.

How to win a Stokke TRIPP TRAPP Chair (special instructions):

1. You must enter to win via this page on Mom Central. 

2. Comments left on this blog post will not be counted.

3. Contest ends Wednesday, September 23, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Interested in more giveaways?  Browse through the Mom Central Giveaways & Freebies Roundup!

Mom Central received a TRIPP TRAPP chair before writing this review.  Mom Central also received one additional product to give away to the Mom Central Community.

Nursery photos: before and (almost) after plus the things people say .....

I still can't believe I'm almost 36 weeks pregnant.  (That's the beginning of the nine-month mark to all the folks who don't count in weeks).  I'm feeling about 60% ready to welcome this little girl. 

It seems to me that there are a few things you actually "need" to do before the baby comes (ex. buy a car seat, some diapers, figure out where the baby is going to sleep).  And then there is the long list of things you feel like you "want" to do (ex. deep clean your home, organize your files, see a bunch of movies, learn to cook, refold clothing etc.).  For me, the top of the "want to" list included getting the nursery in good shape. I must get organized.

So, without further ado... here is where we started.  Blue walls, a carpet some might say is ugly, and a room jam-packed with furniture.

Then we moved along to white walls ....

And now we are almost all the way here.  For those of you who followed along with "The Great Rug Debate" we ended up going with the larger 5x8 size and we are extremely happy with it.  The room needed some color.

My fabulous and generous cousins dropped off their crib this past weekend so now all we need are sheets, a changing table pad (we are using a dresser as a changing table), and photos on the walls.  If time allows, we will paint the bookcase in the front a fire engine red.  Our plan is still to frame some flower photos, but I'm also looking for a kid-appropriate wall map to hang up.  Any suggestions?

Decorating is fun and I must say it again - I love this rug!

In other news, we had family over for dinner this weekend.   Since I don't cook I ordered most of the food from a local BBQ place called Red Bones.  As I walked up to the door, I noticed a dad standing outside with two kids.  The big kid was maybe three or four and the little kid was definitely under a year and was strapped to his dad's back in some sort of contraption. 

The dad looked at me as I walked up and said, "Whooaaooaa!" in sort of a "Whoa, Nelly!" she's-as-big-as-a-horse type of way.  I mean come on!  Maybe I'm being presumptuous, but chances are this balding, 40ish father of two has seen a pregnant woman at some point in his life.  To top it off, he told his older kid to "watch out!" as I reached for the door.  As if I was going to squash him.

This made me feel great as I went in to pick up the pulled BBQ chicken, mashed potatoes, corn bread, and beans.  Yum.

Interview: Money-saving tips from Heather of 'Freebies 4 Mom'

I’ve always kept an eye on the sale rack, but I’m relatively new to disciplined couponing.  Since I’ve started to contemplate all the new expenses (never mind responsibilities) that come along with having a new baby, I asked Heather from Freebies 4 Mom to share her tips.  Heather has a terrific goal:  to help everyone learn how to save money on the products they use daily. 

How and when did you first become involved in the "Freebie World?"

After my second son was born, I was looking for ways to save money on everything because it was a challenging transition for my family to go from a "dual-income with no kids" to "single-income with two kids" within two years.  So I started paying attention to free samples and coupons because I saw the potential for them to help reduce our grocery bill.  I started spending time online learning about how to save money by taking advantage of all the promotions by retailers and manufacturers.  I discovered that saving money can be fun and it became my hobby to find the best freebies and share them with my friends by email. 

My list of friends grew quickly and I needed to find a new format to share my finds.  Just before my youngest son turned one I started my blog Freebies4Mom.com  so that I could easily share my finds and help others save money too.

I grew up in a family that shopped at garage sales for everything from clothes to cars.  My parents introduced me to the thrill of the hunt for amazing deals at garage sales and stores.  I started using coupons when I was in college, but didn't fully realize their savings power until I became a mom.  I love shopping sales, but especially clearances.  I hunt for clearance items at every store I shop at.  



Now I am rewarded by sharing my freebie finding hobby with thousands of people every day through my blog.  I didn't realize it until recently, but I've spent my entire life earning about everything related to saving money.  I feel I have unique knowledge to pass along to my readers.  I recently received the honor of being included in the Nielsen's Power 50 Moms list as a "Savvy Spender Mom Blog.”  It was quite a surprise and a big thrill to be highlighted out of the thousands of mom blogs out there.  But the biggest honor is to have so many people tell me that I'm helping them save money.

For moms (or anyone) who are new to couponing, what is the best way to take a jump in?



1. Start simple and don't let it overwhelm you. 
2. Start paying attention to the Sunday paper by clipping coupons and reading the weekly store ads.  
3. For free samples that you request online, start visiting Freebie Friday at MomAdvice.com <http://MomAdvice.com>  for the best free samples and free events.  I contribute to this weekly list, and it really is the best weekly list for free stuff around.  
4. If you have a few minutes each day, then start reading my blog Freebies4Mom.com  because I cover a wide variety of freebies and money-savers.  Reading blogs is fun and a great way to get information in a more personal way.  You will find your time spent on freebies and coupons is rewarded.  The more rewarding it becomes the more time you'll want to spend on it.
5. I find that the most important step to take for those new to the frugal world is for people to change the way they think about their purchases.  When you carefully track the money you're spending, you start to think about alternatives to what you are spending on.  Sometimes it's not about denying yourself something, but finding a free alternative to what you want.  The free alternatives are what I focus my blog on.  Don't spend mindlessly, but think about every penny that leaves your wallet and how to keep those pennies in your wallet. 

Money is a resource that we need for our daily lives, but we also need it for our future.  Saving for our own retirement, and for our children's education is important.  Moms need to choose not to spend all of the money they have at this moment, so that they can save for their family's future needs.

I'm a new mom-to-be and there are some scary numbers out there about how much it costs to raise a child from birth to 18, never mind college.  What can moms do to save on the essentials right off the bat?

 

Ignore the statistics about the price of raising children because what matters is how you work within your budget on a day-to-day basis.  The best way to go about saving money on baby and kid stuff is to change the way you acquire the things that you need and want. 

Here are a few ideas:

1. Try to get baby items for FREE
2. If not free, then try for gently USED.   
3. Try to get items new but DISCOUNTED. 

Babies require only a few basics to be happy, but there are a lot of gadgets and extras that are marketed to new moms.  Focus on the basics that you need for baby: food, clothing, diapering, safe equipment (crib, carseat, highchair, etc.).



Do you think it sounds crazy to try to get FREE baby stuff? 

Well, it's not because Freepeats.org  helps you find gently used (and sometimes new) maternity, baby and kid stuff locally in 51 cities.  Some moms (including me) just want to give stuff away to other moms who can use it, but have a hard time connecting with those other moms.  Freepeats connects people so that they can help each other. 

Gift Registries

Getting things for free also means asking for the things you need and want as gifts.  Register at a store your family and friends shop at.  My favorite is the Target Baby Registry because they have everything and it's easy to buy things in the store or online.  Or you can ask for gift cards so you can buy exactly what you need (even diapers). 

Garage Sales

If you have time to go to garage sales, it can be rewarding to visit them at the end of the sale when people will sometimes give stuff away rather than hauling it off to donate.  See how many different ways there are to get things for your baby without taking money out of your purse?

  You can find gently used baby stuff from several different sources.  This is where you have to be a treasure hunter, so it helps if you can tell your friends and family what you are looking for so that they can help you hunt for that treasure.  You can go to garage sales, shop at thrift stores, or shop online at local forums.  Garage sales are fun to go to, but can be one of the most time-consuming ways to find things. 

Resale Shops

Resale shops are excellent places to find what you need, especially the ones the specialize in maternity/baby/kid stuff.  If you are looking for bigger items like strollers, then it's best to call resale shops ahead and ask them what they have in-stock. 

Local Forums

Online local forums like Craig's List  or Walmart's Free Classifieds  are great places to look (and great places to sell your own stuff because it's free to list items for sale).



Discounts and Clearance Sales

After you've exhausted your resources for getting free and gently used baby stuff, then you need to look at how to buy what you need new but at a discounted price.  When you shop a great clearance sale (70 to 90% off original price) look closely and think ahead to what your kids will need up to a year from now.  Also use this as an opportunity to stock your gift closet for your own children and for the birthdays they attend. 

Use the internet as a resource for finding deals, comparing prices, and reading product reviews.  My favorite deal-finding blog is BabyCheapskate.com. 

Returns

Another part of being a smart shopper is to return the things that you don't need or change your mind on.  I'm amazed by how many people who have brand-new clothing with tags hanging in their kids closets that they outgrow before they ever wear.  Keep your receipts and return things promptly as soon as you realize you don't need it.  It's usually worth your time to make those returns happen and get your money back in your purse.

What stores (online or brick-and-mortar) do you think consistently offer the best deals on baby supplies?



The best deals are at your local grocery store, superstore, or drugstore if you time your purchase right.  It's a great idea to read the weekly store ads to know what's on sale and then use coupons if possible on those sales items that you need in your household. 

When buying diapers and formula the best source of information is Baby Cheapskate, where you'll find the "Top Diaper and Formula Deals of the Week" posted every Sunday. 

How do you find coupons beyond the Sunday coupon inserts? 

Visit me at Freebies4Mom.com where I list the hottest printable coupons  and tell you about free samples that usually include coupons.  Saving money is all about timing your purchases.  You can save the most when you wait to use a coupon when the item is on sale.  There are also deals online at Amazon.com and other retailers, but you usually have to buy in-bulk and sometimes factor in the shipping cost before you determine if it's really a good deal. 

I think you'll find better deals in-store if you are willing to spend some time looking for the best deals each week and are willing to shop at a few different stores.

What about baby furniture?  Where do you shop?



For baby furniture I recommend looking for sales, not buying gender-specific styles, and keeping things simple.  I bought our baby furniture at Target, Walmart, and Babies 'R Us and it was all either on sale or just a great low price. 

With furniture purchases you have to think long-term.  Where will this furniture be in 10 years?  With the new convertible crib styles, you can keep your crib well beyond the baby years.  Some convertible cribs can become a headboard and footboard for a full-size bed.

My nursery furniture used for both of my boys is now all in my guest room (which previously only had folding tables as furniture with the bed on a basic frame).  It does cost a little more to buy the convertible crib, but if you think ahead to how you will use it I think it can be worth it.  I purchased my crib at Babies 'R Us when it was on sale, you also should keep an eye out on the coupons they issue. 

My rocking chair I found in the Garden Department at Walmart for a great price.  I totally skipped the expensive gliders because I just didn't think I needed one (and I didn't).  My basic rocking chair worked great for rocking and nursing my babies.  Now it works great for reading books to my toddlers.  I did splurge at Target on a matching chifarobe and dresser that was on clearance at Target.  But when I bought them I knew that someday I would move them into my guest room.



And for clothing? Where are the best deals?

Almost all of my kids clothing are hand-me-downs or were purchased at garage sales.  Especially now that I have two boys close in age, I almost never go shopping for their clothing.  If I do go shopping, it's because we have a very specific need (like a winter coat) that our current stock of clothing won't cover.  If I don't have time to hunt for something at a resale shop or at garage sales, the I will shop my favorite stores both in-store and online. 

I like to shop for kids clothing at Target and Old Navy because they have cute stuff and prices are reasonable (especially the sales and clearances).  I always look at the Clearance section first and I try to think ahead to what we will need for the next season if the prices are really low.  But I primarily rely on the hand-me-downs and garage sale finds.  It's wonderful not to worry about ruining any of our pre-loved clothing because we didn't spend a lot of money on it.

How can moms take advantage of your site on a daily basis?




If you are new to Freebies4Mom.com, I'd love to welcome you with a short introduction and orientation here.  If you have time to visit Freebies4Mom.com every day, then you'll have fun browsing the hottest freebies and coupons around.  If you prefer to get an email from me every day, then it's easy to subscribe to the Freebies4Mom email updates here .  I post several new things each and every day because the hottest freebies last for less than a day. 

My job is to sift through all the freebies and promotions out there and tell you about the best ones.  Most of the free samples I share are for consumable products that most families use.  Because I have two toddlers, I have an eye out for the freebies for our children to share with my readers.  If you are looking for a specific freebie, coupon or type of offer, then just type it into my "Search" box at the top right.  I've also got great resources lists at the bottom of the left sidebar that can give you some general categories to browse.  A great post for any parent to read is my "Baby, Toddlers, and Kid Freebies ."  Moms with toddlers and school-age children will find my new Rewarding Summer Reading Programs  list useful.  I like to share free alternatives to family entertainment  because buying movies and reading material can add up fast, but are some of the easiest things to get for free.


Where to find Heather:

Freebies 4 Mom blog
Follow Freebies 4 Mom on Twitter

Thanks for all the great tips, Heather!

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Are you running a website, blog or business catering to new moms?  Email adrienne@momcentral.com if you'd like to be featured here on the Mom Central Baby blog.

A theme of sorts for the baby's room

Last weekend was absolutely beautiful here in Boston.  My husband and I went to the Public Garden to check out all the tulips, which are my absolute favorite flower.  I would have had them at our wedding, but alas they were just out of season and too pricey. 

We (or I guess mostly "I") have been thinking a lot about how to decorate our baby's room.  I've been looking around at a lot of themes (Peter Rabbit, jungle/animals, ocean) but I think we're going to keep it super simple and put up photos of some of the tulips to bring some color onto the white walls. 

Charlie did a great job with the photos and I've posted some of them below. 

And here we are enjoying the beautiful day.

I am a huge huge fan of the Boston Public Garden.  I used to come here all the time with my dad when I was a kid to ride the Swan Boats.  A ride on the boats cost $2.75 for adults and $1.50 for kids - well worth it!  There are usually vendors around selling Italian ice, pretzels and hot dogs.  Makes for a great day.

We actually were married in the Public Garden almost one year ago - time flies!  Here is a photo of us with the Swan Boats in the background from our big day. 

I'm curious - where did you get inspiration for your baby's room?  I'd love to see some photos.  And for the record, I do not have one piece of furniture or baby item at this point.  But at least I know what's going on the walls :)