The First Years Ignite Stroller

Now that our twins are 4.5 years old, they rarely need or want to ride in a stroller anymore.  That is why we decided to retire our twin side-by-side stroller and replace it with the more practical Ignite Stroller from The First Years.  A single stroller that is lightweight and compact, but able to accommodate a preschooler is exactly what we needed for things like trips to the mall.  When the twins get tired, they can take turns riding for awhile until they get their energy back.

There were two reasons why my husband and I decided it was time to retire the double stroller in addition to the reduced need.  The twins were starting to get a little too tall for the seats and we did not want to continue using a stroller nearly twice the width of an average one when it was no longer necessary.  The floor plan for most mall stores do not take side-by-side strollers into consideration.

We received the Ignite Stroller in Red Stripe, which I find to be a very striking color combination.  It is also perfect for a family like ours who has boy/girl twins and would need something gender-neutral.  The main reason I chose this stroller is because it holds a child up to 50lbs and it accommodates children who are slightly taller.

(Click any image to enlarge)

This stroller is very user-friendly.  The reclining back is controlled by a toggle drawstring on the back.  It does not lay all the way back like a heavyweight stroller, but it does recline enough to suit our needs.  Even when our twins doze off, they would not want to lay down in the stroller like an infant or toddler would.

Many lightweight strollers do not come with any storage around the handle area.  With our last one, we had to add on something with pockets that attached to the handles with Velcro straps.  The built-in storage that comes with the Ignite Stroller is extremely convenient.  There is a place to hold a drink, a zippered pocket to put things like your car keys and wallet if you happen to not be carrying a purse, plus additional pockets to tuck anything small you may need to keep handy, like tissues.

This stroller does have storage under the seat.  It is large enough to put small shopping bags and perhaps a medium-sized purse.  It most likely is not large enough to fit a standard diaper bag.  Because of the way the stroller collapses, there is a hinged "x" on the back of the stroller, which you have to work around when you are placing items in or removing items from the storage basket.

The Ignite Stroller not only offers a comfortable ride, but a smooth one as well.  This stroller is a dream to push compared to our previous one.  Whoever designed the wheel mechanism did something right and I hope they never change it.  I also would like to point out that the handle height is comfortable for both my 6' tall husband and my 5'4" self.

To learn more about The First Years Ignite Stroller, visit TheFirstYears.com and The First Years on Facebook.  While you're there, check out the fun Brag Badge made available to parents everywhere.  With this Facebook app you can brag about your little one's firsts, such as the first word, the first pee in the potty, or the first day of kindergarten.  The app has many suggestions for reasons to brag, but you can also make up your own.  Here is a Brag Badge I made in honor of my daughter graduating from a tricycle to a big girl bicycle . . .

As our children get older, it is even more important to celebrate their firsts, because they are not occurring on a daily or weekly basis any longer.


Thank you to The First Years for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive an Ignite Stroller from The First Years (Winner may specify color, but the color is subject to availability).

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Leave a comment telling me which first during a child's life should be bragged about the most. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1)  For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.


2)  For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3)  For 10 extra entries, create a Brag Badge on Facebook. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the direct link to your Facebook update containing your Brag Badge.

4)  For 1 extra entry each, Friend me on Facebook and/or "Like" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.

5)  For 1 extra entry each, follow The First Years on Twitter and/or "Like" The First Years on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment for each with the link to your Twitter or Facebook profile.


6)  Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7)  Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8)  Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9)  Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, August 1st, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Giveaway & Review: The First Years Compass B540 Booster Car Seat [CLOSED]

Strangely enough, even though our 3 year olds are fraternal twins, our daughter is a few pounds heavier and a couple of inches taller than her twin brother. For this reason, she was ready to graduate into a booster car seat first.

I really wanted to find a booster car seat that would last my daughter until she did not need to use any type of booster in the car any longer. This meant that I needed something that was of high quality and was fully adjustable. The Compass B540 Booster Car Seat from The First Years seemed to be everything I was looking for.

Available in 6 colors, in addition to being very stylish and attractive, the Compass B540 is very well-made. The first thing all three children noticed was how soft the fabric is. There are no scratchy tags sewn into the body, but rather the brand, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration "Ease of Use" rating, and the weight limit is embroidered into the fabric.

One of my favorite safety features is the extra large foam padded adjustable headrest and side wings that would protect my daughter's head should we ever have a collision. The yellow handle on the back of the head rest makes adjusting the height and width an easy task. The back of the seat is fully adjustable, so it can truly accommodate a child that is 30lbs up to 100lbs and fits the child properly. The seat back grows with your child. I know many people take their children out of booster seats when each child reaches a certain weight, but it is nice to know that parents who want to keep their children in a booster seat longer as a precaution have the option to do so.

The Compass B540 is extremely easy to install. You need only put the seat in position and it is held in place by the car's seat belt. Having arms that flip up makes it much easier to fasten the seat belt.

This seat also has one cup holder on each side. Although we do not usually have drinks in the car, these are perfect for storing other things, such as tissues or small toys. Both the cup holders and the arm rests are user-friendly enough for my daughter to move them herself.

Another extremely well-thought out feature is the built-in spot for the user-manual. This is perfect if you ever need to pass the car seat off to a friend or relative during an emergency. Also this seat only weighs 9lbs, so it is easy to transport.

The back of this seat folds down completely and is also removable. The green area on the bottom of the car seat is the lock and is clearly marked with easy-to-follow instructions. Having the seat fold down is a great feature should you need to put it in the trunk to make another seat available for an adult or older child.

Normally, I would have at least one suggestion for an improvement on a product, but neither my husband nor myself can think of even one. We are extremely pleased with the comfort level and functionality of this car seat.

To learn more about the Compass B540 Booster Car Seat, visit LearningCurve.com . This particular car seat retails for $99.99 . You can purchase The First Years Compass car seats at most major retailers of child car seats, such as Babies R Us, Amazon.com, Target, and Walmart.

Thank you to The First Years for sending us a sample car seat free of charge to base this review upon and for providing a second car seat as our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a Compass B540 Booster Car Seat in the color of their choice (Subject to availability) ARV $99.

Limitations:

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Visit the Compass B540 product pages. Then leave a comment telling me what feature of this booster car seat is most important to you AND tell me what color you would choose if you won this contest. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2)

For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND The First Years . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4)

For 1 extra entry each, if you are a Friend of mine on Facebook and/or if you have "liked" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 1 extra entry each, follow The First Years on Twitter and/or "Like" The First Years on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment for each with the link to your Twitter or Facebook profile.

6)

Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7)

Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8)

Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9)

Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

10)

Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

<br /> <a href="http://www.3garnets2sapphires.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd206/Busymonkeez/Graphics4Me/NEWBlogButton125x125.jpg" /></a><br /><br />

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, August 16th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!