KidCo Go-Pod Review

Not long after Tessa was born I knew I would eventually need to get out the large exersaucer we had used for her sister. I loved it, she loved it, but we had a problem. Our home is very small and I didn't think we would be able to fit it easily in the living room. I searched for a solution and found it! The KidCo Go-Pod!

 This is one pretty cool baby toy! (As you can see Tess agrees!). It's portable, folds up very small with the push of one button on the leg (as shown below) and comes with a travel bag. Perfect for when visiting family and friends, perfect for our small room as we can fold it up and stick it in the corner at the end of the day. It's also great for taking outside to give the younger baby somewhere to safely play as the older kids run around the lawn. There are drink holders and straps for you to attach whatever toys you like. (It does not come with any toys, you can use the ones you already have!).

There are a few drawbacks however. A smaller baby sinks down pretty low in it and they can't see over the top. Tessa still had lots of fun in it but seems to enjoy it more now that she can sit more comfortably in it. It also doesn't bounce like the traditional exersaucer, which I do miss as Tess seems to love the bounce in our old one that we use at my parent's home. She still has fun playing with her toys though and isn't too bothered.  As shown in the photo, there seems be some pulling on the fabric from the weight of the baby sitting in the pod. There are several layers of fabric though and it doesn't seem to affect the strength or feel like it's going to let go. I will be keeping an eye on this and update the review if anything changes. Otherwise it's very sturdy and good quality.

In all, I'm very happy with this purchase. It is something we purchased new at Toys R' Us at a price of $59.99, so we're glad it's working out!

More information can be found on the KidCo website here.

raising kids on a budget, bein' thrifty

I'm a thrift shopper, a coupon cutter-outer, a sales hound. My husband has a good job as a computer programmer, but is doesn't earn much yet as he is still a "junior" programmer. Me staying at home with the kids means money is super tight so I have to find ways to get what we need without paying much for it. I'm a thrift shopaholic! I love it! Even if we had tons of cash you'd still find me searching the isles of the Value Village!

My first daughter is a big girl. Weighing in at a hefty 11lbs 10oz when born, she grew fast. So fast in fact she outgrew all of the hand-me-downs I was given as well as outgrew the older child I was given hand-me-downs from! She needed the next size up nearly every few months. If I shied away from buying second hand I'd be in the poor house right now! Instead I went to my local thrift shops. I was able to buy her complete wardrobe for each season for usually under $70. For baby and children's items I joined a local Facebook buy/sell/trade group and can almost always find someone selling what I'm looking for.

When daughter #2 came we decided to save even more by going the cloth diaper route. I was extrememly lucky enough to have an awesome friend who gifted me several hundred dollars worth of Flip diapers and inserts and love them. (I do admit however there are days I just go disposable if I'm feeling particularly lazy, but that's another post for another time....). I've not tallied the figures, but based on the few times we have to buy her disposables, I'd say we're saving big time

They say raising kids costs thousands of dollars a year, but if you're willing to do a little work, buy second-hand, do some research, it doesn't have to. We are making it work on much less and it's really not that hard! You just have to be willing to give up on having those shiny new baby things, fresh off the shelf! Believe me, your kids won't notice or even care!

Let me tell you a little about myself...

My name is Julia, and I live a pretty normal life, mostly! I am the proud stay-at-home mama of two little girls. Rose is two and a half, Tess is six months. Days are busy, time flies by, all while trying to keep the girls fed and clean/organize our little home. We live in just under 800 sq ft so finding ways to keep tidy and organized is very important to us. Many of my product reviews will most likely revolve around this (and toys for the kiddos too!).

I know, I know, I said a "mostly" normal life, right? Sounds pretty boring so far, but at least twice a week I am no longer "mommy" and become Sirius Block, #970. A roller derby player for Prince Edward Island's Red Rock n' Roller Derby! My position is blocker for our house team, the Moonshine Maidens. We train hard, play our hearts out, and have a ball doing it! I am so proud of how far I've come since I began over two years ago. This explains why there will also be roller derby products reviewed!

So hope you'll join along on this crazy ride, get to know me and my family, and maybe learn a few things too!