Review of The Fisher-Price Deluxe Jumperoo

A dear friend gave us a Fisher-Price Deluxe Jumperoo that was used by her children and was/is in good condition. It has become my son's favorite activity toy so I wanted to review it for you who might be interested in a jumping activity toy for your little one.

The Fisher-Price Deluxe Jumperoo is a free standing jumper with 4 adjustable height options. It has little toys, lights, and sounds. My son really enjoys bouncing around in this and when he is tired he just sits and plays with the toys. The Jumperoo my son has supports children up to 25lbs and 32 inches in height. I believe this is the standard specifications for all the Fisher-Price Jumperoos but be sure to read the safety details yourself when you get one.

Since the one my friend gave me was used, I took the time to clean it and it was very simple. I just had to take off the seat and wash it and the toys were easy to wash as well so if you find a deal on a used one in good condition it is not that much effort to clean. Just be sure to examine the spring coils in the front of the bouncer because those get worn the most by the weight of the child leaning forward when they are playing with the toys. If all spring coils look the same length/tension then I am certain you will be very pleased with a used Jumperoo.

Below are links to Amazon for the old and new Jumperoo models. Amazon was the only online store where I could find all Fisher-Price Jumperoo models in stock.

Fisher-Price Deluxe Jumperoo in Blue (This is the model my son has)

Fisher-Price Deluxe Jumperoo in Green

Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo

Fisher-Price Precious Planet Jumperoo

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Jumperoo

Here are a few other sites with good prices on the newer Jumperoo models.

Walmart

Diapers.com

Here are some short videos of my son having a great time in his Jumperoo. The laughter and smiles you hear from your child will give you all the assurance you need that regardless what you paid for the Jumperoo, it was worth it. Happy Shopping to you and Happy Hopping to your little one!

Mom's Best Online Shop

I research and compare prices on everything I buy for my son and continually I have come back to this one site that has what I am looking for at the lowest price and if not the lowest price before tax and shipping, it is definitely after I factor that in.

I order my diapers, baby food, bath supplies, sun block, wipes, disposable changing pads, sippy cups, breast feeding pads, baby bottle and supplies, and so much more. I even recently purchased two Britax Roundabout car seats. (My review of the Britax Roundabout car seat will be coming soon) I was able to utilize a 20% off on first one and 15% off the second one without having to pay shipping or tax and it arrived within 2 days of ordering them.

I recommend you browse and compare prices, service, and delivery for yourself and I am certain this will become your favorite online shop for you and baby too.

My favorite site is....Diapers.com

Here are some first time customer coupons for $10 off any diaper order.

New Mom Must Haves - Clothing & Accessories

Before I had my son, I would buy my friend's kids the most adorable fancy outfits thinking that is exactly what I would want. Now I realize that I was giving clothing that would likely be worn only once or not at all. Here are must have items I believe babies need (newborn to 12months sizes). Be aware that the size on the label may not coincide with your child's size by age. My son just turned 7 month old today and he is wearing 12-18 month clothing.

Onsies - Qt. 4-6 per size because of those unexpected blowouts it is good to have plenty. I only recommend onsies until your baby grows into the 6-9 month size and then I would switch to separates, especially for little boys because nothing crushes their privates more than a wet diaper under a onsie.

Pajamas - Qt. 2-4 per size you will need several so you always have one on hand for those night/day time blowouts

Hats - Style depends on the season but for newborns the soft cotton beanies are a must.

Newborn Mittens - Qt. 3-4 great for keeping the baby from scratching their face. Just be sure to wash and dry the hands well a few times a day.

Socks - Be sure to avoid any socks that appear to be tight around the ankle. You feel really bad when you see deep sock indents on your baby.

Everyday wear - Comfort is priority for your little one, I recommend soft cotton separates because they are easy to get on/off and can take wear, tear, and wash well. Of course there is always room in the closet for some special outfits.

Outerwear - For newborns I recommend a swaddle, blanket, or a bundle me. For 3-12 month any type of jacket or sweatshirt as long as it's soft and made well.

Safety Tips

For everyday wear, I would avoid buttons because a button can fall off and become a choking hazard. If you do buy clothing with buttons I would just check the button occasionally to verify it is securely sewn on.

Avoid outfits that fasten at the back of the neck. These are hard to put on and my son always had an imprint on the back of his neck from laying on where the button and snaps were.

Stay away from furry or very fluffy fabrics with small loose fibers/threads. The tiny fibers can stick to anything you wash with it and eventually end up in your baby's eye, mouth, and nose. I had this experience and it took me several washes to get the tiny fibers off of my son's clothes. I finally threw the blanket away because I did not want another mom to end up with it and suffer the same frustration.

Here are some old and current pictures of my son looking cute and comfortable.

New Mom Must Haves - Nursery Furniture & Furnishings

I looked at so many "must have" lists when I was pregnant that it truly overwhelmed me. Because it was my first time I felt I needed it all. Of course now I realize there is a big difference between what you buy and what you end up using.

Here is my "must have" list for the baby's room furniture/furnishings.

• Crib
• A good quality firm mattress
• 2 to 3 crib sheets
• Desk, dresser, or changing table - somewhere you can put a changing pad securely on
• Changing pad
• 2 changing pad covers
• Chair with ottoman or chaise lounge - something you can use after baby is older that doesn't scream "baby furniture" (I purchased the EKTORP chaise from IKEA with an additional cover. It has been fantastic!)
• Dresser
• Window drapes/curtains (My son seems to enjoy the routine of me opening the drapes in the morning and closing the drapes at night)
• Lamp or night light (I originally thought this was for baby but now I know it is for parents so they can see when running into check on their baby in the middle of the night)
• Diaper genie
• Diaper holder (I use a cloth basket I have placed under my changing table)
• Wipe dispenser
• Bookshelf

Here are some pictures of my son's room. In the pictures you will see we also purchased additional storage cubes for the closet and some wall decorations.

Recommended stores for baby furniture/furnishings when on a budget.

• Burlington Coat Factory
• Target
• Ikea
• Walmart
• Craft Cuts

Daycare

My husband and I looked at eleven different daycares and only found two we felt were acceptable. Applying entails paying a fee to hold a spot. We did this about five months before his arrival and it was scary because so many of them said they didn't have any openings until late 2009 or 2010 (Insane!).

About a month after my son was born, we got a call from one of the daycares. Of course it was the most expensive, so I made a call to the other daycare and asked if there were any upcoming openings. That place was called Bright Star Kid's Academy. I liked it a lot but since they never bothered to return any phone calls once they had our application fee, I am glad my son isn't going there. They taught me a $50 lesson.

My son has been in Bright Horizons for a little over three months and he loves it there. It's amazing how much he thrives from being around the other kids. My husband and I stagger his drop off and pick up so he doesn't spend a full day there but he does get enough time to feel like he had some fun with his buddies. Of course it would be ideal if one of us could stay home with him but seeing how much he enjoys it there made us realize there are some advantages to daycare when both Mom and Dad must work.

If you know you are going to need daycare services, you should start looking early. We first googled daycares in our neighborhood, then we visited the ones that sounded good to us in person. I also recommend reading the Daycare Centers: Overview article on Babycenter.com.

Good luck and hope you are able to find a daycare worthy of your little one or win the lottery so you can stay home. :)

Breastfeeding - If I Could Do It All Over Again

If I could do it all over again, I would definitely have paid more attention to the lactation specialist. Boy...no one told me how painful breastfeeding could be. It hurt with a capital H. I envisioned this magical experience and it was special but I had aches and pains that no one warned me about. I thought of my friends who said "you have to breast feed, it's best for the baby" but they forgot to mention that you suffer horribly the first few weeks if you don't get that latch correct.

Regardless, if I could do it all over again I would still deal with the pain because it is a great bonding experience and amazing when you see your child becoming a giant all from mother's milk.

My tip is pay attention to how the baby latches and hopefully you won't be crying yourself to sleep the first few weeks. That is if you get any sleep. :)
.

Mom to Mom

Today I decided to create a blog for me to share my thoughts as a new mom. It's been such an amazing event in my life and has definitely changed the way I view the world.

My husband and I did not think we could have a child. We tried for many years and then went to fertility specialists but decided to stop trying/stressing and just prayed about it. A year after we stopped trying we decided that we would adopt but before we proceeded, we planned a trip to Paris with friends and family. (A good solution for so many things) Little did we know that we had conceived right before our trip. My son was born on December 24, 2008 and life has been brighter, better, and sweeter, since that day.