Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Kelty Kids FC 3.0 Backpack


Rating: 4.5/5 stars
We like to be outdoors. A lot of the outdoor places we like to be are not conducive to strollers. We knew we had to get a backpack carrier. After baby outgrew the bjorn, what were we going to do?! We searched around a bit, but the Kelty really seems to have the market on structured backpack carriers. I would venture to say 80% of the people we see hiking have a Kelty. Possibly more. There are several models available. This review is for the FC 3.0, as deluxe as it gets in the world of Kelty. (Deluxe reads expensive). We do love this carrier. Baby seems comfortable, it comes with a sun shade (have I mentioned its sunny in Colorado?), will last for what seems like forever. Also, for the most part, I despise strollers in crowded places. Things like art fairs and farmers markets. Not only is everyone annoyed with someone trying to squeeze by them with the stroller, inadvertently rolling over/into their feet, it annoys me, the stroller pusher. I can't walk quickly, as I tend to do, I can't see what I want to see, get to where I want to get to. I thought a backpack carrier would be the solution to all of this. While it IS the perfect solution, for a self proclaimed stroller-hater like me in many situations, it does have a few drawbacks as well. Which may be the reason we might not be a 4 stroller family but, as of today, have become a 3-carrier (+1 sling) family. I broke down and ordered an Ergo. What I hope to be a rave review will follow in the weeks to come.
Overall, this is a great back pack. Its phenomenal for real hikes. It has a lot of storage for snacks, water, diapers, toys, etc. Its comfortable for baby and wear-er. The one thing I don't like about it is its size. Well, I like its size for hiking. I just think its a bit overkill for things like walking through an art fair. You look (and feel) a bit like a gear-head. Also, we travel a lot. I've found myself on vacation wishing I had the carrier. The size of this carrier isn't exactly friendly for travel. Unless, of course you were on a hiking trip.

Pros:
-Self deploying kick stand, makes it extremely easy to get baby in/out and off/on your back, even by yourself.
-Sunshade comes with it. It is more than ample for even the sunniest places, yet not claustrophobic. Even shields a light rain (from the top)
-Extra storage below baby, and an extra zip-off mini-day pack make for plenty of storage for day hikes (and your partner can wear the mini day pack to alleviate extra weight). (The newest model seems to have done away with the zip-off pack. The storage is still there, its just not removeable. But the new, awesome colors make up for it in my world).
-Comes with a changing pad, so you don't have to pack yours. (Changing pad is a bit small, but it does its job)
-Comfortable for baby. Baby has been known fall asleep on numerous occasions in this pack.
-Adjustable for many sizes. Husband and I can both wear this pack. Me: 5'1" 115lbs (I can't believe I just posted that), Him: 6'2" 235lbs (Bet he won't be jazzed I posted that either).

Cons:
-Its heavy. While the pack does its best to disperse weight to the hips, husband mostly wears this. And even he complains its quite heavy.
-Its big. It doesn't really pack down at all for easy storage/travelling, and its more than necessary for your average stroll through the park. Its great for real, adventurous hikes, but for everyday use, its large. And in charge. (couldn't resist)
-For its size, it doesn't have a TON of storage. Its a great day-pack, but you could never fit enough stuff for an overnight trip.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Reuseable (cloth) swim diapers

I've mentioned before that I'm currently a disposable diaper kind of girl. I dream of being a cloth diaper kind of girl, but I'm just not there yet...daycare full time can derail some of your plans. :) Yes, I could do it on the weekends/when at home, but lets face it--that would be expensive (cloth AND disposables?!) And, well, just a pain. :)
Regardless, for swim diapers, I AM 100% cloth. Not only do they help eliminate landfill waste, they're a great deal. One reusable diaper will run you roughly the same cost as one package of disposables. When you swim as much as we do, they are FAR cheaper than disposables. I've tested 2 brands, results below.

iPlay reusable swim diaper
Rating: 3/5
The iPlay comes in several sizes, based on pounds. They seemed to run fairly true to size. The 6month size says on their website it will accommodate babies up to 18lbs, and baby wore this until just past 12months, when she was about 18-19 pounds. That being said, it also wasn't too big when she was smaller. This is a good quality diaper, we never had trouble with solids leaking out at all. But, it is all one piece, with no ties/openings/etc. While this might be a pro in some people's book, I found it extremely difficult to get on and off. Especially once it was wet. And, even more so if baby did have an, ahem, solid in it. Add in the fact that you're generally somewhere such as a locker room, dock, etc and it can be quite the messy and frustrating experience. It is also more padded than other cloth swim diapers we've tried.

Comes in a variety of colors. My one gripe is that all the girls colors have ruffles on the butt. I don't know about you, but I still put a swimsuit over it, so the ruffles just add to the bulk (and stick out strangely from some suits). I settled for one girl one with ruffles and one 'boy' one that is very gender neutral. I would stick to the boys ones in the future, no ruffle, exact same cut.

I'm not sure how it would fare if baby peed in it while OUT of the water, as we never had the er, pleasure. If it does in fact hold in pee when baby is say, on your lap while in a boat, I would definitely rank it higher. However, I don't think this is the case.

Pros:
-It works! Keeps solids out of the pool with no problem.
-It is mostly hidden under a swimsuit. Bulky, but doesn't stick out as much as others.

Cons:
-One piece makes putting on, and especially taking off very difficult. Can be messy if diaper is dirty.
-Gets to be a little snug on chubbier thighs toward the top end of the weight limit. No adjustments available


Kushies reusable swim diaper
Rating: 4/5

This diaper also comes in several sizes, based on pounds. However, this one has velcro and ties and is quite adjustable. The Kushies website boasts many great colors/prints, but good luck finding them for sale. (The Kushies website does do retail, but you can find better deals other places if you're willing to go for the few styles/colors offered). These seem to run a little small...or, more accurately, small around the waist, but tall. Currently baby is in the 14-25 pound size and is 20.5 pounds. The waist, since its adjustable still fits, but I guess I'd like it to be closer to 'closed'? There is quite a bit of velcro showing when it is tight on her, but technically, it fits. These are very well designed diapers, fully adjustable, easy on/off (even with a mess), and they were smart enough to put the "soft" part of the velcro facing out, as to not ruin swimsuits/clothes/etc that would rub on it.
While the waist on ours is just barely closing, when it is wet, it is VERY droopy. They seem to be a bit long/tall. The cut is a bit strange, with elastic around the legs, but then an extra piece that covers it. Looks cute when dry/no swimsuit over it, but stick out of the (girls) swimsuit a lot and kind of oddly.

Pros:
-Easy on/off.
-Cute patterns, if you can find them, several uni-sex patterns, good if you plan to use for more than one child.
-Adjustable with velcro/ties around waist.

Cons:
-Fit is a bit strange--tall/saggy, sticks out of swimsuit
-Does not hold in pee (I don't know of any that do, but I still wish they did!) Makes boating/hanging out on the beach/dock/etc difficult. Or, messy at the very least.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Hot Sling


If you're into baby wearing, a sling is a must have. We have the standard bjorn, and I debated something else...something more snuggly. I hadn't quite decided yet when we received the hot sling for a gift. Perfect, I though...decision made! Not so fast.

This sling serves its purpose. It holds baby. It works well for a bigger baby, it was ok for a smaller baby. I was able to breastfeed while wearing this sling on numerous occasions. I do love this sling for travel. Its easy to pack, great for use in airports, after stroller has been checked, or when baby is just sick of the stroller, etc. It just wasn't my favorite piece of baby gear. I've already decided next baby, a new sling is one of the few things we'll buy. For me, this sling was just ok. Maybe a 5/10.

Pros:
-Easy to pack. Just one small-ish piece of fabric. Can fold up small enough to keep in diaper bag at all times.
-Very cute
-Able to breastfeed while wearing a smaller baby with little concern for modesty. Also, hands free!
-Seems comfy for baby, includes 'leg padding' which adds minimal bulk, but more comfy for baby, especially in hip-carry position.
-Works well for a hip-carry of an older baby.

Cons:
-A bit difficult to get baby in/out by yourself
-One size does not fit all. These come in sizes. Which means, only I can wear this. Husband would need a separate one.
-It came with an instructional video. Really? I don't have time for that. I want to read a quick instruction booklet and be on my way.

It does make holding baby for long periods of time MUCH MUCH easier...Note the chaos this picture captures. :)

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Carrier

A carseat is arguably one of the most important things baby needs. If you're catching on, you'll know husband and I spent a ridiculous amount of time reading online reviews of every carseat on the market, including several trips to the store to view them in person.
I knew I didn't want a travel system. Those stroller wheels kill me. To my amazement, though, there are actually some decent stroller options with travel systems now. But, I still didn't want one. I wanted an infant carrier/carseat. period. After much discussion, research, and more research, we decided on the Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Carrier.

Specs:
We love this carseat. Baby seems comfy in it. Even when she was born at 6lbs, 13oz, it looked like she fit in it. Although the buckle looked ridiculously huge, the straps could get tight enough. The seat itself is rated for 4-30 pounds and up to 30 inches, and in my opinion, its one of the few that a 4-pound baby would actually be secure in. This seat comes with infant padding for infants up to 11 pounds, which helps the smaller ones fit better. Not just a head-pillow, but a whole insert, so baby is cradled and secure. The 30 pound/30 inch limit ensures most can use it through their first birthday. The seat itself is deeper than your average seat, so the 30/30 limits mean baby actually has a chance of fitting in it. Several friends had to retire their infant seats before baby was at the limit because they just didn't fit anymore. Feet were going up the back of the seat, baby just looked uncomfortable. Since this seat is bigger, it doesn't "fit" a lot of places other seats fit, such as the top of shopping carts. BUT, you really shouldn't be putting an infant carrier on the top of your shopping cart anyway, so... The bigger size/different shaped bottom also means it doesn't fit in a lot of the "universal" car seat adapters for things like strollers, though too. We were able to find a stroller that worked (see my post about the Bumbleride).
The fabric of this seat is durable, too. After a year of use, the fabric shows no wear. Also washes well. The seat itself weighs in at 9 pounds. Admittedly, this is a bit heavy, but I chalked it up to a good arm work-out and called it a day. Some might find this to be too heavy, though, as baby gets bigger.
The harness of this seat is very easy to use. The buckles work well and don't require excessive force to open or close. The tightening mechanism is also great. We've never had a problem with it. In fact, husband thinks I tend to over-tighten in this seat. The harness also comes with included strap covers. While the strap covers require you to take the harness apart to remove, it is nice they come with it.

Installation:
The installation of the base into the car with the latch system is very easy. The latches are easy to use, and the base has levels built in, so you can be sure it is installed correctly. The base has an adjustable bottom to accommodate different angles of seats, and keep baby level. Putting the seat in the base is as simple as dropping it in. You hear an audible 'click' too, so you know its in. Taking the seat out of the base does require two hands, but is one of the easier ones I've tried. We were able to train the grandparents how to put it in/take it out in just one session. This is a feat, I assure you. And, I was confident they'd do it correctly, as there is no way to screw it up. Hear the click of the seat in the base, and you know its in!


Quick list:
Pros:
• Larger than most carseats, able to use longer
• Easy install-base with LATCh system and levels built-in
• Extremely easy to insert seat into base and remove from base
• Easy to use harness, complete with INCLUDED strap covers
• Fits smaller babies with INCLUDED infant padding

Cons:
• A bit heavy at 9 pounds for the carrier
• It is large. We had to move our passenger seat forward in our Jeep Compass for it to fit in the backseat.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Review of the Bumbleride Indie Stroller

We set out convinced we would not become a 3, 4, or *gasp* 5 stroller family. Everyone told us that no matter what by time baby was 1, we had at least 3 strollers. We decided we would NOT conform to that norm. So, we decided we could splurge a bit on the stroller. We'd been careful about our other spending. Thanks to two nieces, we have plenty of baby clothes (and toddler clothes, and pre-schooler clothes, so money wasn't going there)...we started looking for strollers while I was still comfortably pregnant. We read every review available on every stroller available. Google started noticing. Suddenly, my gmail account was flooded with ads about babies. Wait, we're having a baby!? whoa. Anyway, once we were past that, we spent literally every spare moment consumed with stroller searches. If we're only getting one, it has to be sturdy. and all-terrain. and pretty. (have I mentioned husband and I are designers by trade?) It has to be well designed and look nice. And, while I decided we could splurge, my practicality (or what husband would call my cheap-skate side) still overtook me. $500 for a stroller?? (or $1000 for that matter...I'm not buying a car, here). We looked at SO SO many. I soon had my heart set on a 3-wheel model. I have friends with babies. Watching them try to push a 4-plastic-wheeled Graco through a lawn makes me cringe. Surely, there's better design out there. Plus, I had visions of myself going on really intense hikes with this thing. (where can you hike that is stroller friendly?! I've learned that requires a backpack or sling, and that's for another time). We also went with a not-super traditional infant carseat (read, not Graco), and I was convinced we could find a stroller that worked with our Chicco Keyfit 30. This was one of the few that did.
Soon, husband had me convinced the Bumbleride Indie was the stroller for us. I still balked at the price, but after I found a site with no tax, free shipping ,and 15% off, I was sold. (it was a sale, I couldn't resist). I did have some nervousness of buying a stroller sight-unseen, but seeing as there are no retailers within a 100 mile radius of us, and none for sale on Craigslist, I decided we'd done our research and it would be ok.

When I was at 38 weeks and still had no stroller, due to delays in shipping, I began to panic. Why couldn't I have picked something out from a store that I could SEE? How would I take baby for walks? What if I wanted to go somewhere? (Little did I know a 3 day old baby does not need a stroller, and a 3-day postpartum mommie cannot walk around the block). Stroller FINALLY arrived when baby was a week or two old. (see, I don't even remember when it mattered so little at the time). I (yes, I, husband was at work and I could not wait) immediately assembled it. In about 10 minutes. It looks nice! But how does it perform? I took it out for a walk, and immediately loved it.

Simply stated, we love this stroller.

The list of things we love:
• The weight. Only 20lbs! (if you've done your research, you know this is pretty good for a full-sized metal framed stroller)
• The look. This is a cool looking stroller.
• Easy to fold.
• Easy to store. It folds relatively small for a full-size.
• It comes with a rain cover. (and we've actually used it!)
• VERY easy to steer. Even one-handed.
• Lockable front wheel. While this is not a REAL jog stroller, it serves its purpose for me, as I'm not a jogger. On the rare occasion I decide to pick up the pace, the locked wheel is a necessity.
• Large under-basket. I can fit a yoga mat in there! (ok, it sticks out a little, but still). I can realistically fit a full-sized diaper bag in there, AND snacks AND shopping bags AND a blanket. really.
• Mommy cup-holder. While it does seem like a bit of an after-thought, design wise, its a feature I need. And its expandable. Full size Nalgene, no problem. Small Starbucks, still no problem.
• Large sun-shade. We live in Colorado. 300 days of sunshine. This is one of the better sunshades. And with the carseat, I could connect the two and baby was in her own little shaded bubble.
• Adjustable handle. I am 5 feet tall. Husband is 6'2" Adjustable is a must. While it doesn't telescope, the adjustments fit us both great.
• Metal frame. Its durable. Trust me. I backed into ours when it was folded and stored behind my car in the garage. I pushed it out the garage, where one wheel got stuck between our garage and driveway, and pushed some more. It still works! Husband had to re-align the wheels a bit, but its not even bent.
• It works as a 'system' with our Chicco Keyfit 30.

The list of things we wish it did/had:
• Reversible seating. Baby was ready to sit in the stroller sans-carseat far before I was ready for her to not face me.
• Child tray. As baby gets older, I see the value a snack tray/cup holder would have for her. You can buy an attachment, but I like things to come with my original purchase.
• I feel like the seat could be more upright. It is fully recline-able, even to almost flat. But, when its completely upright, I feel like baby is still a bit reclined.
• While the sunshade is one of the larger, I wish it was larger still. Is it ever enough when trying to keep baby out of the sun?
• Wish it had an option of adding a second seat, somehow. Like Phil and Ted's. Seems almost silly to have bought a single stroller that we love knowing we'd be having another.

When I asked hubby for some ideas of what he wish he did/had, he said: "our stroller? ummm, I wish it teleported." Guess that means he likes it too.

The final testament to how much we love this stroller: Baby is 11 months now, and we own exactly 2 strollers. Why two you ask? While I COULD fly with this one, (and we considered it), I decided I would be absolutely devastated if anything happened to it while it was being gate checked. So, step in travel/flying stroller. We did cave and we do own two. But that's it!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Sippy Cups

If you're like us, you've spent a small fortune on sippy cups. If not, good for you! I seem to have a compulsion to buy them! Our daughter is 11 months old now, and we've gone through more than I care to admit. There's SO many out there. Soft spouts, 'starter' cups, straw cups, even little mini sipper cups that look like mom and dad's coffee cups! Handles, no handles, the list goes on. I recently came home from the store with 2 new kinds, to which husband responded "No more sippy cups!" Perhaps its my love of all drinking vessels (a new water bottle? a new coffee cup? I'm in!), or perhaps it really is a new-parent phenomenon, but we've bought more sippy/starter cups than I can shake stick at. In a quest to help you out, here is a quick review of what we've used so far, and what we've thought of them: (In order of use by us)

1. Nuby No Spill Cup with Soft spout
Rating: 4/5

This was a great "first sippy" and by far our (and daughter's) favorite first cup. She loved playing with it and sipping out of it. Although a bit large (its as big as baby's head!), it served its purpose. It did not get 5 out of 5 due to a few design flaws, but overall, a great starter sippy, and affordable!

Pros:
-Soft spout makes first sips easy for baby, a lot like a bottle
-Easy flow makes an easy transition from bottle, not necessary to tip too much
-Two handles easy for baby to hold
-Handles come off for easy cleaning, but are snug enough that it can be attached to something with linkadoos
-Light! As long as it wasn't full, even at 6 months, baby could lift

Cons:
-Liquid came out too fast. Baby was so used to bottle, she ended up wearing a lot of the liquid
-Top has to be on perfectly, aligned with two little tabs that are hard to see, or it leaks
-Needs additional top 'hard' lid for travel, or it leaks. we promptly lost one of these hard lids, and they're hard to put on.
-The sippy is a bit large. (see picture) for a first sippy, it could be smaller.


2. Nuby 2 handle Straw Cup, 8 oz.
Rating 1.5/5

The first Nuby was such a hit, and when baby starting grabbing for mom's straw when out at restaurants, we proclaimed, time for a straw cup! We rushed to the nearest store, and were overwhelmed with the choices of straw cups (its a whole new world of drinking vessels). We found the Nuby Straw Cup and thought, why not? Its cute, and baby loves her Nuby sippy. It was one of the only straw cups with handles. She can drink from a straw, this will be great! Not so fast. It was hard for even me to drink from, and I mastered the straw awhile ago. It MIGHT work for older kids, but seems too small for them.

Pros:
-Two handles are easy for baby to hold
-Straw tucks away easily by mom or dad, no leaks, sanitary
-No leaks! We had no leaking problems with this cup, but we didn't use it much

Cons:
-Its not REALLY a straw. Its a bite-straw. You must apply pressure on the straw and suck at the same time
-Baby can't open/close straw feature

3. NUK Learner Cup with Latex Spout
Rating: 3.5/5
After the straw cup disaster, we thought we'd try another sippy. While we loved the Nuby, I continued my quest to find a beginner sippy that was easier for baby to use (not such a fast flow), and leaked less. Or maybe just slower-flow, so she didn't end up looking like I dunked her in a pool after a drink of water. Baby never really took to this cup. It might have something to do with the unique shape of the mouth piece. Its quite large, and not very 'sippy-cup' like. Think bottle merged with sippy. This doesn't get a higher rating simply because baby didn't like it. Maybe if we had started with this one, it would have fared better. I wanted to like this cup, but she just wasn't buying it.

Pros:
-Easy to hold, with 2 handles for baby
-Pieces are interchangeable with other NUK products. (bigger bottle? no problem! don't want handles anymore? they come off!)
-Good size for starter cup (5 oz)
-Good flow-speed. Baby did not end up with a wet shirt, pants, etc.

Cons:
-Baby just didn't like it, perhaps its the bigger mouth piece?

4. Munchkin Mighty Grip Flip-Straw Cup

Rating 4.5/5
It was time to find a straw cup baby would use. She drinks from a real straw at home, but this just isn't practical for throwing a cup in a bag and going somewhere. At the store, we found most of the non-spill straw cups were the bite-straws. Not wanting to spend more money on another cup baby wouldn't/couldn't use, we refused those. They were tempting though! I found this one on a bottom shelf. Obviously, not the product the store was hoping I'd buy. It has a REAL straw. You don't have to bite it! And, it flips shut. More sanitary! This is hands-down baby's favorite cup. And, it seems all her friends love it too. Whenever another baby sees it, they want to try. We've taken to mixing and matching tops so we have different color combos than the 'standard' so we know which one is ours. Also has a large 10oz capacity, without seeming too big for baby to handle.

Pros:
-Easy to use. Just a regular straw! Don't need to tip cup to drink
-Flips shut, for sanitary, (mostly) leak-free travel
-Baby loves it
-Fairly easy assembly/dis-assembly for cleaning

Cons:
-No handles, but baby has managed to adapt
-Leaks a little. Sometimes it doesn't thread right, and since its just a straw, some liquid can escape. but less than you'd think.

5. Thermos Foogo plastic sippy, phase 1
Rating 4.5/5

It was time to start moving milk to a sippy cup. The Nuby was still too much of a mess (and since baby only drinks breastmilk, I wasn't too keen on the idea of her wearing half of it. I can't just mix up some more if she's still hungry.) Off to the store, yet again! We found this Thermos brand sippy. Its super cute, we went with plastic, since it was cheaper than the stainless steel alternative, but the whole line is so cool looking. All the parts are interchangeable between cups (a feature I'm sold on, if you haven't noticed). Had a soft-spout, but not too soft. Doesn't leak even if baby mashes top into table. This was by far our favorite sippy yet!

Pros:
-Easy to drink out of, but not too fast of flow
-Two handles makes it easy to hold
-Interchangeable parts with rest of Thermos Foogo cups, makes for easy transitions
-Did not leak!
-Has oz. marks on side, so you can still measure as if it were a bottle.

Cons:
-Hard to put the top together. (If its not together correctly and tight, it will leak)

6. Playtex First Sipster Cup 7oz.
Rating: 4/5
While we loved the Thermos brand sippy, it just wasn't big enough for milk at daycare. Off to the store we go! We found these Sippy cups. Everyone we know uses them. They're the quintessential sippy cup. They have to be ok, right? Well, they are. They're ok. While advertised as having a soft spout, its not really soft. Its more just a pliable hard plastic. You can't really feel the spouts in the store, due to packaging, so we didn't notice that until we were home. They say 7oz, but we found they held almost 8oz, which was perfect. Baby drinks ok out of these, but they're not her favorite cup. At 11months, we're still using this one, and she'll drink out of it, but its definately not her favorite.

Pros:
-Doesn't leak much. If you tip it upside down and shake (which baby does), some liquid does come out
-Has two handles, easy to hold for baby

Cons:
-Baby just wasn't excited about drinking out of this cup. (it has since grown on her)

7. Nuby No-Spill Sports Sipper
Rating: 1.5/5 stars
Since baby was moving to a sippy for milk at daycare, and wasn't particularly in love with the playtex one, and the thermos was too small, our caregiver gave us this cup to try. It had the larger capacity, but the soft spout. She said baby loved it. We gave it a try. upon further inspection, we noticed: of course baby loves it! It's a giant bottle with a faster flow! We quickly gave up on this one, not wanting to encourage more bottle feeding.

Pros:
-Baby knows how to drink of this already
-Soft spout

Cons:
-This is really just a big bottle, has nipple-like tip, that you have to tip to drink from.
-Not easy to travel with. Requires a separate top-lid again, like the beginner Nuby.

8. Tommee Tippee Explora Truly Spill Proof Sippy (9mo +)
Rating: 5/5


Off to the store we went, again. I was determined to find a sippy that could hold enough milk for daycare, baby liked, I liked, was reasonably priced, and didn't leak. I found it! My one gripe is the very specific "boy" or "girl" themes. You have a choice between blue/aqua with planes and boats or pink/purple with flowers and butterflies. I'm not a girlie girl, but also don't want my child to have gender-identity issues! In any case, I went with the aqua. A small complaint, but the 6mo + cups come in much cuter designs that are gender-neutral. I almost bought the smaller 6mo cup, but stayed on task looking for one that would be suitable for the milk at daycare. We simply love this cup.

Pros:
-Does not leak.
-Lid for travel is ATTACHED. I can't lose it! and it stays where it should, doesn't come off while in my bag, and doesn't interfere with baby's drinking
-Has soft-ish spout, but not too hard, not too soft. Perfect transition-to-hard spout sippy
-Easy assembly/dis-assembly for cleaning. (just read the instructions first)
-Shaped like a real cup (bigger at top than bottom), meaning you don't have to tip it completely upside down to get liquid out.

Cons:
-A bit big around/no handles, but baby has learned to hold
-Not many color choices