I was a big user of the Halo SleepSack for Miles’ first winter. He was born in December so he was a tiny nugget that first winter (well, relatively speaking since he came out of the womb at 9 1/2 pounds) and I didn’t want to risk using a blanket. Plus his room seems to be the coldest one in the house so he needed extra warmth. I loved the SleepSack and had a few of them in the pajama rotation. They gave me peace of mind knowing that Miles would not get tangled up in his blanket and he would not be cold.
When this fall rolled around I wondered whether or not to buy a new fleet of SleepSacks. I was worried that Miles would get too tangled in them when he tried to stand up in his crib. I also thought that the danger of getting tangled in his blankets was no longer an issue. What I didn’t realize is that now that he can move, he can wiggle out of his blanket. And a cold Miles means an awake me - not a good combination.
Around the same time that I was pondering how to keep my little cherub warm, I had lunch with my new friend Karen of Halo Innovations. Karen was kind enough to have lunch with me and share some tips of the trade for getting the AirCrib on the market. After we parted ways Karen sent me an email that she had read my blog and wanted to send me some SleepSacks to do a product review. I was ecstatic! My problem was solved. I could not only test out the SleepSack to write about here but I could also potentially solve my nighttime warmth dilemma. I didn’t want to tell Karen that I was already a strong believer in her product because I wanted some new, larger ones to try!
I received my package in the mail with several models to try. I have “tested” the Deluxe Velboa, the Micro-Fleece, and the Early Walkers styles. They are all fabulous. Most importantly Miles stays warm (but I have to talk to Karen - he still isn’t sleeping through the night) and he does not get tangled at all. When he wakes up he is still able to stand and he can also crawl around while wearing the SleepSack with no problem.
The innovative folks at Halo have also made a sherpa on-the-go version. It is such a great idea - it has a safety belt slot for the carseat or stroller. There were many times last winter that I went to my parents’ house for dinner with Miles and put him in his pajamas for the ride home. Once home I had to disturb his precious slumber by putting him the SleepSack on him but now you can put everything on all at once and then just transfer to the crib once home.
The time has come for my second official product review. Just a reminder - I have purchased this product myself and the manufacturer has not asked for my feedback, I just love gear and an audience.
I tried out the Kelty TC2.0 (transit child carrier) once Miles had outgrown the convertible infant seat. I could no longer haul that car seat around with him in it, it was too damn heavy. And I don’t always like using a stroller so I needed a different option. I tried putting Miles on my hip with a sling and that worked well but I wasn’t 100% hands free. I still kept an arm around him as a back up measure of safety.
I decided on the Kelty transit carrier because it looks like a regular backpack only it has the added feature (bonus) of being able to hold your child as well as your gear. The maximum load weight is 40 lbs so it can be used for quite awhile. Unless you have an exceptionally large child like mine who will probably outgrow it by the time he is 1. The other cool feature is the little zip off backpack that makes a great diaper bag. You can store all of the kid things in the zip off section and then store your own things (yes, you do still have items that are just for you, just think about it for a little while and you will slowly start to remember) in the larger section. We like using it at the local Farmer’s Market where it gets pretty crowded and tight for a stroller and we need a place to put all of our purchases.
It takes some adjusting to get the carrier fiting just right but there are so many buckles and straps that eventually you can get the perfect fit. The carrier also comes in some fun colors to liven up your look!
From time to time I will post a product review. I must preface this first review with the disclaimer that I have not been asked by anyone to share my opinion but rather I have taken it upon myself to give my unsolicited feedback. All products reviewed were purchased and not donated (hopefully some day I will be famous enough to have products delivered to my doorstep). And finally, for numerous reasons, I will only discuss products that I recommend. ’Nuff said, now on to the good part…
My first ever product review is on the Me Too chair by Phil & Teds. I love this chair! I have brought it with me to restaurants, grandparents, and on a weekend trip.I have also used it as a spare high chair when a friend stops by with their little one. Gone are the days of using a dirty high chair in a restaurant.
The Me Too chair is available all over the web, just google it so that I don’t have to put a link in here. I wish that I could give you a code to use somewhere to get a discount but alas, I don’t have one. Hopefully we will be selling it on our soon to come web store (more on that in another post) but I haven’t started the process yet.
Bottom line - buy one. And hopefully you haven’t bought a highchair already cuz this could save you some cash.
