Does your baby like riding in the car?

My baby doesn’t.

In fact, I’m a law-abiding girl, but there have been several instances where I’ve been tempted to take my baby out of the car seat while my husband is driving. She tends to cry when we strap her in her car seat and all I want to do is pull her right to my heart. I never do, of course…because her safety is much more important than a few tears as we travel from here-to-there. But it still stinks to go anywhere in the car when your baby is opposed to the experience.

britax roundabout convertible car seat Does your baby like riding in the car?Lately, however, riding in the car has been much better, thanks to our new Britax Roundabout convertible car seat ($179.99). The compact seat is narrower than most so it’s ideal for vehicles with limited rear-seat space. We have a Toyota Camry (such a reliable car, by the way…drives like a dream) and space is definitely an important consideration with two car seats in the back.

The seat is suitable for babies 5-40 pounds so this is an investment that will last you for the long haul. It’s simply silly to buy an infant car seat when you can just buy one that will last you through toddlerhood.

baby in convertible car seat Does your baby like riding in the car?Finally, the forward-facing recline and soft fabric padding seems to be comfortable for baby. My 10-month-old has no way to vocalize her opinion about these matters with words, but…she has been much happier in her seat since we moved her out of the evenflo infant seat we had for her older sister. I think the recline angle is much better – especially for a slightly older baby who wants to have a “drive with a view.”

The seat also has excellent safety ratings and has a solid 4.5-5 star satisfaction rating on Amazon.com.

Summary: If you’re a parent-to-be, don’t register for or buy an infant car seat. Instead, choose a safe, reliable convertible car seat in a gender-neutral color…better for baby, better for your pocketbook.

Action Shots: Here we are on our way home from Phoenix today – For about half the trip, my 10-month-old slept, my 3-year-old slept, I sort-of snoozed on-and-off, and my husband listened to 90′s light rock tunes while he drove through the blue, blue skies.

baby in britax roundabout car seat Does your baby like riding in the car? driving to phoenix Does your baby like riding in the car?

YOUR TURN: Does your baby like riding in the car? Do you have an infant or convertible car seat?

britax logo Does your baby like riding in the car?WIN IT! One winner will receive a Britax Roundabout convertible car seat ($179.99). To enter, leave any topic-related comment on this post prior to Sunday, January 31st at 11:59 p.m. (Don’t forget to follow the rules…all generic comments like “Enter me!,” “Love it,” and “Cool stuff!” will be disqualified.).

* I received a product sample for review purposes and there is an affiliate link in this post.

*UPDATE* The winner is #106 Sarah. Congratulations!

Themed Weekend: Globe-Trotting Girl

holding a sleeping baby Themed Weekend: Globe Trotting GirlSomeday, I’m going to travel the world with my family. We’re going to go to Israel and Indonesia, New Zealand and New York, London and Little Rock.

But today…for now…we travel the world…through books and experiences and people. And we get away for an occasional weekend or week – exploring new sights, laughing with good friends.

That’s how it is when you have teeny tiny ones.

little girl with umbrella Themed Weekend: Globe Trotting GirlSo, yesterday we escaped for a quick trip to Phoenix. And, when we arrived, a tornado warning was issued. That kind of thing never happens in Arizona. But we’re all safe and sound now…and the sun is shining.

In pre-kid years, I went to Pakistan and Pittsburgh and Puerto Vallarta.

Today, I go to the park and the playground and the corner Walgreens for a pack of gum.

But if you think that means my life is predictable and humdrum, you are quite mistaken.

Just in the past 24 hours, for example, we picked lemons off a lemon tree and made homemade pizza and saw an incredible marching band that walked right by our dinner table (The band consisted of my 3-year-old and Christine‘s almost-2-year-old…they circled the table again and again, beating plastic bowling pins together and singing, “We’re in a marching band!”). I should have taken a picture, but I was having too much fun.

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Stay tuned for articles, product reviews, giveaways, and conversations about travel – at home, in our imaginations, and abroad.

As posts are published, I will add them to this post so that you can have a comprehensive spot to see my entire round-up.

Photos On Our Walls – {finally}

Remember this photo from our trip to Washington State this past October?

chic canvas Photos On Our Walls   {finally}

That picture is now hanging on an elegant canvas in our living room. See?

You can get a better feel for how it looks in my recent post about the Dance Dance Revolution alternative.

Beautiful, isn’t it? We’ve recently started hanging photos – large and small – throughout our house. All of a sudden, our home is warmer, fresher, friendlier. I don’t know why we waited so long to do it. For the longest time, we just had bare white walls…with thousands of photos in little folders on our laptops. But it’s much better this way.

Great memories deserve to be on display, don’t you think?

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ChicCanvas.com is a California-based company that specializes in premium canvas prints. Just submit your photo, choose your size and personalization preferences, and wait for it to arrive on your doorstep.

logo 150x65 Photos On Our Walls   {finally}WIN IT! One winner will receive an 11 x 14 custom canvas from ChicCanvas.com. To enter, leave any topic-related comment on this post prior to Thursday, January 28th at 11:59 p.m. (Don’t forget to follow the rules…all generic comments like “Enter me!,” “Love it,” and “Cool stuff!” will be disqualified.).

* I received a product sample for review purposes.

*UPDATE* The winner is #115 Sheila Hickmon. Congratulations!

Wordless Wednesday: Playing in the Sandbox

sitting in the sandbox Wordless Wednesday: Playing in the Sandbox playing in the sandbox Wordless Wednesday: Playing in the Sandbox

She has a beautiful corduroy pea coat with over-sized buttons. And an elegant pastel pink jacket with puffed sleeves. And a fuchsia zip-up sweater with butterflies on one side.

But…

she always wants to wear her “U of A sweatshirt.” Future Wildcat, perhaps?

Tuesday Tours: What’s Happening on the Web

j02933381 Tuesday Tours: Whats Happening on the WebWelcome to “Tuesday Tours: What’s Happening on the Web” where I serve as your tour guide and showcase the best contests, freebies, deals, and reads for moms on the web…all in one convenient location.

Contests

Enter to win a BabyMe pre-packed hospital bag over at ByMomsForMoms. Deadline: Jan. 22.

I SO want to win this $100 gift certificate to Tea Collection. Up for grabs at My Mom Shops through Jan. 24.

Win a Joggster X Jogging Stroller (retail value = $599) over at Momtrends. Deadline: Jan. 31.

Announcements

Stars and Hearts Media invites you to the SITS Girls Bloggy Boot Camp Tour…to be held in Phoenix, AZ on May 1st. Anyone out there going?

Cyndi just started a blog: This Thankful Journey. Would you mind stopping over to give her a hearty welcome to the blogosphere?

Emily of DesignHER Momma entered a contest to win a ticket to Blissdom and she needs your votes! Can you click over and vote for her real quick?

Good Reads

Social Media Superstar Gwen Bell writes about Digital Downsizing.

Thanks to Nicole Feliciano for featuring me last week in her Fit Mom Profile series. Read about my sneaky fitness trick, how I stay motivated, and what my favorite fitness brands are.

Keith’s post about Rice: It Keeps You Alive makes me want to buy a rice machine. Cheap, healthy, and easy – that’s my kind of food!

Did you recently have a baby? Read Moriah’s tips for dressing well post-partum: Fashion for the In-Between.

Miscellany

Confused by Twitter? The Twitter Guide Book is an excellent resource.

Looking for a quick & easy appetizer to bring to a party? Myra shares her Baked Spinach-Artichoke Dip recipe.

I wonder if/when this trend will catch on in the US: Baby Changing Tables for Our Generation.

I’m happy to see that Target is expanding their nursing collection to include Basics by Bravado. Has anyone tried it?

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*** If you have a contest or an announcement that you think might be a good fit for Tuesday Tours, e-mail me at stephanie@metropolitanmama.net.

they say it’s my birthday

jump for joy they say its my birthdayHappy Birthday!” my 3-year-old bounded into her little sister’s room yesterday morning when she heard us stirring and gave me a hug. It was pretty much the best way to wake up on a birthday morning, with a smiling baby by my side and a sweet 3-year-old in my arms.

I got you a house at Disneyland,” she quipped, eyes sparkling.

A house at Disneyland?” I gasped, delighted, “That sounds wonderful.” And, for the record, it really did sound absolutely wonderful.

From there, my day was pretty much perfect. We laughed. We took pictures. We jumped on the bed. We made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We went on a walk. I wrote and worked a little. And…last night, after the girls were in bed, we had homemade cheesecake with cherries on top.

Since it’s my birthday, I’m going to give away three of my favorite things…

9780060688240 99x150 they say its my birthdaya copy of A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken

I don’t often re-read books. Or re-watch movies. Once is typically enough for me. But this autobiography is an exception. I’ve read A Severe Mercy several times and it never fails to move me.

Author Sheldon Vanauken writes about falling in love with his wife, finding faith through skepticism, and overcoming loss. It’s beautifully and elegantly written, with prose that will make your heart sing. Ideal for anyone grappling with the bigger issues of human existence and/or the death of a spouse…but it’s also perfect for anyone who enjoys reading unconventional and amazing love stories (not your dime-store romance variety…this is the real deal).

This book is truly one of my very favorite books and I am delighted to be giving away a copy this week…right around my birthday. I hope you like it as much as I do.

allrecipes.com logo 150x54 they say its my birthdaya 6-month Supporting Membership to Allrecipes.com.

Allrecipes.com is my go-to site for recipes. Whenever I need meal inspiration, I always go there first. Always. There are hundreds of recipes with pictures and ratings from real-life people. And, so far, that site has never let me down.

Using the site is FREE, but having a supporting membership gives you a bit of added functionality. Think of it as a secret handshake or something…welcome to the club.

cg smoothers spf 15 tinted moisturizer foundation makeup 1 92x150 they say its my birthdaya Tube of CoverGirl’s CG Smoothers SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer

I don’t wear foundation. I prefer a more natural-look when it comes to make-up. That said, it is nice to have a little something on my face – to even out my skin tone, add moisture, and protect from the sun. CG’s tinted moisturizer is perfect for all of those purposes. I wear it almost every day and highly recommend it. Best of all, it’s like $8 at your local grocery store.

One winner takes all three prizes!

All you have to do to enter is ask me a question. About anything. What my favorite jeans brand is. What our bedtime routine is like. What we eat for breakfast. Anything. It’s likely that I will take your questions and answer them in an upcoming post/series. 1-2-3…GO! Ask away….until January 28.

Oh, wait…I just have to say…I think this is going to be my best year yet.

stylish mom they say its my birthday

*UPDATE* The winner is #82 LV. Congratulations!

The Mother I Want To Be :: wrap-up

the mother i want to be The Mother I Want To Be :: wrap upThis past themed weekend – “The Mother I Want to Be” – has given me a chance to reflect on who I am and who I want to be. Heaven knows I need reminders to be more intentional about being Available, Fun, Well-Read, Fit, and Selfless.

Of course, I want to be many, many other things as well…Kind. Merciful. Good. Forgiving. Organized. Intelligent. A Leader. A Servant. A Friend. Etc. But I could only write so much over the weekend.

Thanks for being a part of it.