The Kiddy Cruiserfix Pro Challenge - how fast can you fit a car seat?

Kiddy challenged us to see how fast we could get a team of people to fit their group 2, 3 Isofix car seat, the Kiddy Cruiserfix Pro. Finding a team of willing volunteers over the festive period who were in any state to fit car seats was a challenge in itself so in the video below Mr. B. shows off his skills solo-style.

The challenge in fitting a car seat is to ensure that you do so safely and correctly. Isofix fitting help a lot with this and certainly speeds up the process compared to a seat that is fitted with a belt. Kiddy provide two bright yellow Isofix guides which are intended to make the process even easier but they don't quite fit in our shiny new car because the leather isn't pliable enough yet! Despite this, our first foray into the world of Isofix has been a great success, I'm really pleased with how much it aids the process of fitting a car seat.

The Kiddy Cruiserfix Pro has retractable Isofix connectors so can be used in cars that don't have Isofix mounting points. As a group 2,3 car seat Lara has not yet tried it out but we are using it for friends and family when they are with us. Actually, Lara is not that far off being ready for a group 2 seat even though she is only 2 and a half. Lara is as tall as many 4-year-olds I know and at 16.6kg she is certainly heavy enough to go into the Kiddy Cruiserfix Pro.

You can read my comprehensive review of the Kiddy Cruiserfix Pro on my sister site, Parentwheels. You can follow Kiddy on facebook and on twitter.

Bobux i-Walk Nubuck Desert Boot Review

Guest reviewer Matthew (1.5 years) and his mummy Diane have been reviewing the exceptional baby and toddler shoes, specifically the i-Walk Nubuck Desert Boot, from Bobux.

Bobux shoes are a New Zealand brand whose focus on eco-friendly processes and materials makes them particularly appealing to Mellow Mummy. Bobux make soft sole first shoes, pre-walker shoes and the i-Walk range for new walkers upto 24 months such as Matthew. This is what Diane thought of the Bobux i-Walk Nubuck Desert Boot...



The sole is nicely flexible; Matthew had no problem walking confidently within a few paces, and then easily running and climbing within a few minutes. The boots are much lighter than you expect and are not bulky at all - Matthew tends to get a bit caught up in his old shoes sometimes when trying to climb but has not found this an issue with the Bobux boots; getting up and down and even crawling without difficulty.

The Desert boots have good ankle support; they are sturdy but well shaped and extremely soft and smooth around the ankle. We have tried on boots in the past and have been disappointed that this part of the boot is too rigid, almost cutting into the ankle.

The boots are very easy to put on, the opening expands more than enough, we have not had any struggles getting them on and the fastening strap is very secure with plenty of room for adjustment. If Matthew were a liitle older he would master putting the boots on himself quickly.

Although flexible, the sole is reasonably thick so it is up to the challenge of fairly wet weather conditions (walking through wet leaves etc.) before the nubuck is soaked through, although I must admit I would switch to trusted wellies for walks in anything more than light rain.

You can see that the boots are very well made, the stitching and finish are high quality.



I really like the way they look, fit and how Matthew walks in them so would buy Bobux shoes again. Matthew also loves them and is keen to show them off to anyone that is interested! He even enjoys playing with the little cloth bag that that the boots are delivered in and uses it to carry bricks and other toys around the house in.

The only remotely negative points are that as with any internet shoe shopping, you need to be confident that you have chosen the right size, and in some cases style to suit your childs feet. There are less expensive childrens shoes available, however they do not neccessarily offer the same quality as Bobux.

You can find Bobux on facebook and on twitter.

E45 Junior Review

As you know, my daughter suffers from mild ezcema. I haven't quite put my finger on what causes it yet but her skin was the driest and most blotchy I've ever seen it at the start of December when the weather was cold (this did co-incide with me using a free sample of a different washing liquid). I always look for bath products for Lara that are free from SLS (sodium laureth sulfate) and where possible, man-made-fragrance-free and paraben-free. This month we have been using products from the E45 Junior range.



Our favourite product from the range is the E45 Junior Foaming Bath Milk. Because we use SLS-free products we normally sacrifice a foam bath because SLS is the ingredient that makes things foam. It is so nice to be able to offer Lara bubbles at bath time and not worry about her skin. The bath milk has to be shaken before use to mix the ingredients. The foam is really good and the bath has a milky colour to it when you use it.



Once in the bath, Lara now uses the E45 Junior Hand and Body Wash which is a clear gel with brightly coloured beads that are packed full of mineral oils to condition the skin. It is no good for me as I'm allergic to mineral oils! However, Lara seems to like it and will actively choose this body wash over her existing one. The gel doesn't leave any greasy residue (which many emolliant products do... quite understandably).



After her bath I religiously cover Lara's skin with moisturiser. It is when I forget (or to do this that Lara's skin is at it's worst. I must say that the E45 Junior Moisturising Lotion is the product from the range with which I am least impressed which is strange because E45 would be the first brand I would think of for an adult's dry skin. I didn't find the lotion to be very effective - Lara's skin absorbed the lotion quickly and it didn't feel much less dry after use.