Hi friends,

As a long time supporter of Graco, and a member of Graco Nation, I wanted to be sure you know about the latest Graco recall.

Graco is recalling harness buckles on approximately 1.9 million infant car seats. The issue with the buckle is that consumers have been reporting that the buckle is difficult or unable to open. Please read the following information to see if your seat is on the list and let them send you a new buckle. :)



{This info was emailed right to me by a Graco representative}

Models Affected by the Recall:  The harness buckles used on the following models of infant car seats are included in this recall: • Infant car seats: SnugRide, SnugRide Classic Connect, SnugRide 30, SnugRide Classic Connect 30, SnugRide 35, SnugRide Classic Connect 35, SnugRide Click Connect 40, and Aprica A30. For specific dates of manufacture, visit www.gracobucklerecall.com Buckle Replacement Details: • Graco has and will continue to offer replacement harness buckles to concerned consumers at no cost. While many harness buckles look alike, consumers can verify which buckle they have by entering the model name and date of manufacture on GracoBuckleRecall.com. This information can be found on the white label located on the bottom of the infant car seat carrier. • Additionally, Graco will continue to offer a free replacement buckle to any consumer who has an infant car seat not included in this recall, but would like to update their buckle to Graco’s current buckle design. • For additional questions, consumers may contact our customer service team at 877-766-7470 (Monday – Friday, 9 am to 5 pm) orconsumerservices@gracobaby.com • Those seeking replacement buckles will receive replacement kits in Summer 2014. While waiting for replacement buckles, Graco car seats equipped with affected buckles are safe to use. If your buckle becomes sticky, we recommend cleaning it by following the instructions available on GracoBuckleRecall.com as this will make it much easier to use. Background on the New and Improved Buckle: As early as January 2013, Graco began equipping our infant car seats with a new and improved buckle. While some of the buckles look the same, the updated buckle has been re-engineered and has an improved design, which makes it easier to use. This recall impacts only the older model of this buckle, used in car seats manufactured prior to May, 2013.  Graco’s Commitment to Safety Graco has met or exceeded every safety standard set forth by the federal government through its 60-year commitment to rigorous engineering and demanding crash testing protocols. Each Graco car seat must withstand a critical crash test -- hundreds of times -- simulating a vehicle hitting a brick wall at 35 mph, which is double the force required by the government. Graco has conducted side impact testing on our car seats for nearly a decade before NHTSA proposed such a standard. Graco is also the only manufacturer to crash test our car seats under extreme temperatures – from 0 to 140 degrees F -- to ensure the materials maintain their integrity in even the most demanding conditions. Importantly, Graco car seats undergo an additional battery of tests by independent safety experts at the same lab contracted by NHTSA to set the safety standards for the entire industry. In designing each element of the car seat, the primary focus of our engineers is infant and toddler safety. The harness buckle -- a critical part of the car seat -- is opened and closed more than 15,000 times, the equivalent of 50 years of use, to ensure it meets our industry-leading safety qualifications. We also pull the harness buckles to withstand a force of over one ton, which is three times more than what is applied during a typical high-speed crash test. While there continues to be no reported injuries or fatalities related to our harness buckles, we have continued to upgrade buckle design as part of our ongoing product evaluation and improvement process. We assembled a team of independent experts to review our testing protocol and car seat engineering practices to provide an objective perspective. These individuals included: Chris Sherwood, former Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) leadership and biomechanics researcher; Arthur W. Hoffmann, Ed.D., registered professional engineer of child passenger restraints and automotive safety expert; and, Alison Jacobson, child safety expert. All of these experts concluded independently and collectively that our car seats are meticulously engineered and safe. ~Amy

New Graco Recall {the info you need}

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Pediatricians are now recommending that children stay rear-facing for 2 years. I always thought this was a bit silly because of how cramped and uncomfortable that seemed to me, but now Graco has come to the rescue with the very first car seat meant to be used from birth to 2 years. One of the great things about this is that it saves parents from buying seat after seat to accommodate their child's growth. That means, less money, less stress, and far less hassle.

I've been given the opportunity to be one of the first to check out this seat and share it with you. I'm also giving one away!!

Here's how the seat works, the seat looks much like an infant seat upon first glance but it changes easily and quickly. The seat clicks into the base and the base can be adjusted  by holding down the red button on either side and sliding it back. {I played with this a bit and it was very easy to move every time.}

From the seat facing side of the base, users can easily pull up a foot rest for the child inside. This will save the back of the car's seat from getting kicked and dirty. Also, once the child is old enough to keep the seat in the car full time vs. removing the seat with the child inside, simply move the handle all the way backwards to keep it out of your way for easy buckling and unbuckling. Finally, the latch system is on this seat and tucked into the compartment on the very front of the car seat's base.

 Here is my favorite part of this seat. I absolutely can't stand the struggle I have to go through just to get the harness in the right position for safety's sake. Graco has come up with a far better approach to this very issue and I am LOVING it. To get the harness straps in the right position, users can now squeeze the red buttons on the back of the seat, hold them in, and slide the head support up or down. It sure beats having to un-thread and re-thread the harness straps!

 This is such a wonderful innovation and I'd love to see it on EVERY car seat.

I chose the Mena pattern over the Moonstruck for this review {there are currently only two styles available}. The Moonstruck is more gender neutral with hues of grays rather than a pattern with pink like I chose. I should also point out the seat's cushion for infants. It is very soft and cozy feeling. It feels like a pillow, really. Any baby would feel quite comfortable inside this seat.

Since the seat is also made with a new, Click Connect system, there is a new stroller to go with it. The Click Connect system seems a lot more user friendly to me. I don't fight with getting the seat out of the base half as much as I do with my other Graco seat. The stroller is designed to work with the new Click Connect system as it "clicks" in 2 different places now, rather than just on the back of the seat, but the handle on the back of the seat is the same and people familiar with Graco SnugRide seats will feel comfortable using this new style.

I asked my three year old to sit in the seat while it was reclined all the way to the 8th position and here's what it looked like. Now, she weighs 27 pounds and is 37.25" tall. Her legs are a little bent, but overall, she seems to fit in the seat just fine. 

And here is Mikayla with the seat reclined to a 4. {I was right next to her so I didn't buckle her in all the way.}

The only problem I see with this seat is its size. I have an older style minivan with bench seats. In my van, the front seats would have to move up to comfortably fit this car seat on the middle bench. This means it wouldn't be able to go behind the driver's side and the passenger would have to sit close to the front dash in order to use this seat. However, if you have a newer style van with a roomier interior, you'll be just fine. We drove a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan for a road trip recently and this seat would work just fine in there. I just thought I'd share this in case you have an older minivan like I do {mine is a '99}.

BUY IT: The new, SnugRide Click Connect 40 retails for $219.99 at Babies R Us stores everywhere.

THE GIVEAWAY!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Thanks to the PR firm and Graco for the items to facilitate this review and giveaway. I was not compensated for this review beyond receiving the item mentioned. This review shares my thoughts and opinions. Others may have a different experiences or opinion.**

Graco 's New SnugRide Click Connect 40 {review & giveaway}

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Alright, mamas...or mamas to be...it's time to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Pack'N Play from Graco! For 25 years, they've been providing a cozy place for little ones to rest and play while also making it portable so it can be used anywhere. The Pack'N Play has become a "Must Have" on Baby Registries and is probably near the top of any expecting mom's list while she's preparing for baby.

This year's newest style of the Pack'N Play is the Playard with Reversible Napper and Changer {pictured in Soho Square}. While I've never used this particular style, I've always used a Pack'N Play with my little ones and have loved the convenience of owning one. We've used ours in the home, taken it to use in a 5th Wheel Camper, used it in a hotel, and while visiting with family at a park and in their home. It's been used for naps, playtime, and diaper changes.  Really, I can't imagine parenting through babyhood without a Pack'N Play.

Here are some fun facts about the newest Pack'N Play for you {courtesy of Graco Baby}

MSRP: $99.99

Available: Online and in stores at Babies ‘R Us, Target, Walmart, Amazon.com, GracoBaby.com, Buy Buy Baby and specialty retailers

Features:

• The first playard to feature a reversible napper

and changing station, all-in-one

• Toy bar features soft toys to amuse baby
• Removable, full-size bassinet provides an

extra-comfy spot for infants to nap

• Convenient carrying bag for no-fuss travel and storage
• Beautifully-styled, soft fabric cuddles baby for

naps while the wipe-clean fabric resists messes

THE GIVEAWAY!!

As a proud member of Graco Nation, I have been given one Pack'N Play Playard with Reversible Napper and Changer to giveaway!! {Pattern preferences can be requested but not guaranteed to be in stock.}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Thanks to Graco Baby who supplied the item to facilitate this giveaway. I wasn't compensated in any way for this post. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the items mentioned. Others may have a different experience or opinion.** 

25 Years Of The Graco Pack'N Play {GIVEAWAY!}

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My baby, Mikayla, has been here for just over 2 months now and I wanted to share with you a couple life-saving items I use as a mom of 3. 

Graco sent us a Quattro Tour Duo Stroller and the Snugride 35 car seat, both in the Flint pattern to try and I've been loving both of them from the start.

Let me show you some photos and share with you some of my favorite features of each product. Mind you, I put all of this together when I was about 8 months pregnant. You can safely assume it wasn't too difficult for me to handle. ;)

Getting the stroller ready to go wasn't all that difficult. All I really needed to do for it was put on the wheels and accessories like the cup holder and the snack cup for the front seat. The stroller does have a bit of weight to it but it folds down so nicely and is very easy for me to lift up into my van and out again. 

The Snugride 35 is SUCH a lovely seat. Not only is this seat ultra plush and constructed for safety, it also will be with us for as long as we need. You see, this car seat is made for babies from 4 pounds to 35 pounds. Yes, you read that right. This ensures me that my baby girl can use this seat comfortably until I can safely transition her to a forward facing seat. 

The dial on the car seat base makes leveling the seat very easy to do. I recall putting my first born's car seat in our car and using things like rolled up towels to help us make it level. Sounds pretty safe, no? {can you hear the sarcasm?} This time around, we were able to check the level on the side of the seat and simply turn the dial to raise it or lower it until it's positioned safely.

I also appreciate the easy  "squeeze and push" or "squeeze and pull" tabs on the car seat's handle to move it up for carrying or back for getting baby in and out easily. On the back of the car seat is the handle that unlocks the seat from its base or stroller simply pulling up on it. The words "quick and easy" come to mind when trying to describe the user friendliness of the Snugride 35 car seat.

 The Quattro Tour Double Stroller is just right for pushing around 2 of my three kiddos. There is A LOT of storage room on the stroller and it makes my life so much easier. 

  

By the handles of the stroller, there are 2 cup holders and a zippered pouch with a pocket on the outside as well. This means that I don't have to juggle holding my coffee and keys while pushing the stroller.  

 The front seat of the stroller can recline back to keep Eliana comfortable and the back holds Mikayla's car seat just right. And you see the large amount of storage on the bottom of the stroller, right? Shopping trip, here I come! ;)

Look at the back of the front seat for a second. Can you see the storage pockets? This is AMAZING to me because it means my Mikayla's toys, snacks, and so on can be stored right in front of her while we're on the go. No digging through anything to get what she needs. Phew!

 Another favorite feature is how the canopies match up to keep Mikayla completely covered. I can easily shield her from the sun, wind, rain, and snow.

When I want to set the brakes on the Quattro Tour Duo, I only need to push down on one side to lock both. This means I can handle what I need to handle quite easily, whether that's getting the kiddos in or out of the stroller or otherwise. 

For both seats, there are snack and drink holders. The back seat has these on a tray that goes across a child's lap while the front seat has them on either arm rest. Also, the tray on the back seat doubles as the place where Mikayla's car seat locks in to. 

Overall, I'm very, very pleased with the Snugride 35 car seat and Quattro Tour Duo Stroller from Graco. I've been getting plenty of use out of both items and my only wish is that the stroller weighed a tad less. However, I haven't had any problems getting it in and out of my van, if you're wondering. 

BUY IT:  You can purchase your Snugride 35 car seat for around $170 and your Quattro Tour Duo stroller for around $270 from select retailers. Please see the Graco website for more details.

**Thanks to the company or pr agency, who supplied the items to facilitate this review. I wasn't compensated in any way. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the items mentioned. Others may have a different experience or opinion.**  

Graco Baby Helps Me Get Around! {review}

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When it’s time to get home ready for baby’s arrival, Graco has many things that will come in handy right away. One thing that’s great to have set up and waiting for the baby to come home from the hospital, is a Pack ‘N Play from Graco.

I prefer to have the baby sleeping in my bedroom where she will be within easy reach for night time care and feedings. The Graco Pack ‘N Play I was able to review offers a cozy place for  her to rest and even has a fold away changing table. My Pack ‘N Play for review came in the Rittenhouse pattern.

There are some features on this Pack ‘N Play that I really enjoy. First, the changing table. It’s padded, has a wipes container built in, pockets for lotions and baby care items, a diaper stacker, and best yet…it folds away when not in use.

Another thing I enjoy is the ability to have the mattress vibrate to sooth the baby. There is a pack that straps to the bassinet under the mattress and hooks to the control pack that is easily placed on the frame of the Pack ‘N Play. There are also options for a dim light, music, nature sounds, and a timer for these options.

Finally, I love the optional canopy top to help keep out the light as baby sleeps. To set the canopy up, simply velcro the tabs on either side of the canopy. There are also 3 bears that hang from the canopy’s top to entertain the baby.

As the baby grows, she’ll be able to enjoy the Pack ‘N Play’s bassinet top and then the mattress moves to the bottom of the Pack ‘N Play for use at family picnics or trips.   

Buy It:

You can purchase your own Pack ‘N Play Playard from Graco’s website or many stores. Prices range depending on the style you decide to purchase.

All Things Baby ~ Graco Pack ’N Play Playard (review)

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