What They Say:
The FALCON Car Seat Carrier is designed for parents on the go. It eliminates packing, unpacking, and assembling a baby stroller for those trips to the store. The FALCON Car Seat Carrier allows easy entry into and out of the user’s vehicle. No more bruised legs or sore arms from dangling the car seat by your side. This hands-free infant car seat carrier keeps baby close and secure while shopping, going to restaurants, feeding or using your cell phone. Created by parents for parents. 

What Crap4MyKid.com thinks:
Pros:
The Flying Falcon stays attached to the car seat, as opposed to having to take it off and put it back on each time you want to use it.  It does not prevent you from putting the car seat in the car.  The strap does not block the seat latches.   The self-adhesive Velcro that is supplied with the Falcon is very strong, which allows for a secure attachment to you car seat.  It is extremely durable and according to the Flying Falcon website, has passed many lab tests for safety.  I have been using the Flying Falcon to carry Ellie around and she seems to really enjoy being so close to me and facing me while being schlepped around.
Cons:
The strap should be a bit longer to accommodate bigger people, namely me. Because of the length, the strap tends to dig into your neck and shoulder.   This may not be an issue for a smaller person.  Supposedly, the manufacturer is starting to produce the strap longer.   Not conducive to carrying for long periods of time.
Overall:
We think the Flying Falcon is a great product for the right person.  If you do a lot of errands that don’t take a lot of time and don’t want to drag out the stroller every time you get out of the car, the Flying Falcon is your solution.  The strap, although padded does put a lot of pressure on your neck and will be even worse the bigger you child gets.  You definitely feel it later.  That being said, the fact that your kid is facing you while being carried, as well as being nice and close to you is great.  One thing I think the manufacturer of the Flying Falcon should consider is the addition of some sort of padding option for your hip.  Often time, the car seat digs into your hip while carrying it around.  If you shift the car seat so it is resting on your front, it is much more comfortable.

We consider the Flying Falcon to be “Pretty Good CRAP”.

Crap4MyKid.com Rating: 3.5 Dirty Diapers

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What does Recess Monkey say:
You’re not going to believe our newest album: fifteen funk and new wave synth songs that are out of this world! Summer has never sounded so stratospheric- Let The Final Funktier be your minivan’s sountrack this summer!
An outer space dance party from Liftoff to bedtime by three teachers who know how to get kids and families excited.

What does Crap4MyKid.com think:
In our opinion, Recess Monkey’s “The Final Funktier” is the epitome of what a kid’s music CD should sound like.  From the get go, The Final Funktier is exciting, fun and full of fantastically funky music.  The “Intro” grabs hold of you, straps you in and the countdown starts.  When I heard the second track, “Moon Boots”, the first thing I thought was, “This sounds like what it would be if Beck released a kid’s record.  It is completely catchy and funky and sets the tone for the rest of the album.  Other great songs are “Science Fair”, “The Galax Sea” and “How Do You Build a Robot?”.  Actually, the whole album is fantastic. catchy and worth multiple listens.  The CD finishes with a nice, relatively quiet “One Tiny Light”, bringing you back down to earth after a fantastic space voyage.  Our kids really enjoy Recess Monkey’s “The Final Funktier”.  They have quickly started singing the lyrics after only a couple listens and they now have “The Final Funktier” on their ipods.

Crap4MyKid.com thinks The Final Funktier by Recess Monkey is Awesome CRAP!!

Crap4MyKid.com rating:  5 Dirty Diapers

What Earthworm Ensemble says:
Earthworm  Ensemble is  a music project for  kids and parents, with some of Los Angeles’s best folk/country artists — members of   I  See Hawks  In  L.A.,  Mike Stinson, The  Chapin  Sisters,  Zachariah –  singing and playing fiddles, mandolins, guitars, horns, and steel.

We’re calling it family music, rather than just children’s music.  We  hope children and their parents can enjoy the songs together, and talk about some of the  ideas in the songs.

We sing about the earthworm’s role in the plant cycle; about buffalo migration as told by a young buffalo;  buying fresh corn at the farmer’s market and taking it home to cook; how to make pizza from scratch;   trains, birds, walking in the woods, and  a superhero team of Bear and Dog  who’ve come to save the planet!  You can sing along, and  there’s  a  song  to  drum along with, and two lullabyes.

The songs are folk, old timey, country  rock,  New Orleans second line, and even some funky beats.  Our debut CD is getting  a  great  response –click on the  Reviews  page  above, and  you  can  also order  the CD here.

Earthworm  Ensemble  was  started  by  Shawn  and  Sherri  Nourse  and their  3 year old  son Nolan (who sings about the bear and dog).   Sherri’s a  singer songwriter, and Shawn is one of the best drummers in Los Angeles.   He  played with  Dwight  Yoakam  and  plays  with   I See Hawks In  L.A.

The  Nourses  were  soon  joined  by  Paul Lacques  of  the Hawks and  his wife  Victoria Jacobs,  and  then  by  other  Hawks:   Paul Marshall,  Brantley Kearns,  David Jackson, Jr.  and Rob Waller.

Then some of our favorite country and folk musicians joined in:   Mike Stinson sings about corn,  Zachariah does a  high  speed  rap that’s a recipe for making pizza  from  scratch, The Chapin Sisters add their angelic harmonies, and David Jackson sings about the buffalo family.   David  has the  lowest voice we’ve ever heard–he  might  even  be  a buffalo.

You can find us playing school shows, folk  clubs,  and festivals in Southern  California,  and someday soon we’ll come to your town too!

What does Crap4MyKid.com think:
Earthworm Ensemble is definitely a unique ensemble of musicians, making for a pleasingly interesting CD.  The first track “The Traveling Train” starts with a cool locomotive sound and nice harmonies.  Then you hear what I would describe as a voice that is as deep as deep can be.  David Jackson’s participation on “Train” makes the song.  His voice is so deep, you can’t help but smile when you hear it.

The hip hop inspired “Pizza Moon” is definitely the most fun song on the CD.  It is a rap song that raps about making a pizza.  What could be more fun than that.

Earthworm Ensemble jumps around from style to style on their self titled CD, which can sometimes make it hard to listen to.  For me, I enjoy a consistent theme to a CD.  The talent is absolutely shining on Earthworm Ensemble, but the direction is a bit unclear.  Although, most little kids won’t care.

I would definitely play this CD for any kid between the ages of 3 and 7 years old.  I think they would really enjoy it.  They won’t notice the inconsistent themes and will want to hear it again and again.

Crap4MyKid.com thinks that Earthworm Ensemble is Pretty Good CRAP!!

Crap4MyKid.com rating:  3 Dirty Diapers

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What Price Products says:
The Universal “dwink” box holder designed to fit most individual drink boxes and pouches, including soy milk and extra small juice boxes.

What Crap4MyKid.com thinks:
Pros:
The “dwink” does what they say it does.  Handles for little hands.
Cons:
To be honest.   There are none.  The “dwink” works great!!
Overall view:
We really like the “dwink” drink box holder.  The handles on either side are great.  Even our smaller kids have no issues holding on.  The plastic is hard enough to not allow you to squeeze the drink box so hard that it spills over, but soft enough that when the kids start throwing them at each other, no one will get hurt.  The non-skid bottom is very helpful and the colors are pretty cool, too.

Crap4MyKid.com rating:  5 Dirty Diapers

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Also see Dripstik by Price Products

What Price Products says:

• MADE IN THE USA by a mother of five!

• Keeps kids’ clothes clean by catching the sticky drips from ice cream cones or any frozen treat on a stick.

• Two products in one: One end holds frozen treats on a stick. Flip the Dripstik over and the other end holds ice cream cones in almost any size and variety.

• Saves parents time from cleaning up colorful puddles from forgotten desserts.

•  Makes an easy birthday party favor!  Serve ice cream without stressing about guests making a mess, then simply send the Dripstik home with them.

• Perfect for road trips.  Indulge your children with stops at ice cream shacks without worrying about the upholstery.  Let them get the cone instead of a cup and spoon.

• Helps disabled or elderly persons, letting them enjoy ice cream with self-sufficiency.

• Durable, soft plastic is long-lasting and easy-care– simply pop into the dishwasher!

What Crap4MyKid.com thinks:
Pros:
Clever design.  Big grip center which is great for the kids to hold on to.  Cool colors.  Dishwasher safe.  2 in 1 usage.  Totally works!!
Cons:
We only have one, so the kids have to fight over it.
Overall Impression:
We love the DripStik!!  It totally works. In fact, we received the Dripstik when the kids weren”t home.  I thought it was so cool, I had to try it out.  I really liked it.  It was really fun to use, even for an adult, although I consider myself to be a big kid.  The kids really love it and fight over who gets to use it.  We will definitely need to get a few more of them.  The fact that Price Products sells the DripStik in larger quantity packs is really convenient.  You can even buy a case of 36 if you’re having a party.  Then you can give them as favors to the kids.

Crap4MyKid.com considers the DripStik to be awesome CRAP!!
Crap4MyKid.com Rating:  5 Dirty Diapers

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Measures 21 1/2″ H x 14 1/2″ W x 11″ D.

What does Crap4MyKid.com think:
Pros:
No stupid expensive refills to buy, fits regular kitchen bags!  One handed operation to dump the nasty diaper into the pail. Holds a good amount of diapers.  Holds the stink really well!
Cons:
You have no idea when the stupid thing is full, it just jams, the dog steals the dirty diaper out of the top of it and it’s a huge mess.  The whole diaper pail is very lightweight, which is a great thing, but when it starts to get full you need two hands to smack the thing onto the floor while you turn the lever.  This allows you to cram in one or two more diapers.  That leaves you with no hands to hold the baby on the changing table.
Overall Impression:
We actually have the old style diaper champ on our first floor and the new style in our bedroom near Ellie’s changing table.  My husband prefers the old style (pictured above), I prefer the new style.  With my older kids, I had a both a Diaper Champ and “the other one” and the other one ended up being used for cat litter disposal.

For us, it is more about not having to buy refills than anything else.    The odor control of the pail is great, until you open it, then it stinks, but it’s full of poopy diapers, what would you expect?!

The new style is smaller and the chute seems a little larger, which is fantastic and the operation is a little different. It is more like a one way chute that dumps the diaper into the pail.  The old style is a flip lever that you just slide from one side to the other.  The old style pail is very hard to clean if anything leaks, I am assuming that was a driving force for the re-design.  I also remember as the diapers got bigger, the tendency to get stuck increases exponentially.

Both pails can get jammed if you don’t empty it when it seems to be full, but there is no indication it is full until it jams.  I am apparently not pro-active enough to make sure that it’s not full before I try to cram one more diaper in there, even when I know it is not going to fit.

Crap4MyKid.com thinks the Diaper Champ is fantastic CRAP!

Crap4MyKid.com Rating:  4 Dirty Diapers

What does Lamaze say?
Baby will have a roaring good time with Dee Dee the Dragon. She’s full of developmental features that capture baby’s imagination and stimulate the senses. From her crinkle wings to her rattle and mirror tail, baby will find lots of fun with Dee Dee. And her colorful ribbon and soft, textured tummy will soothe your baby.  90 Day Warranty.
What does Crap4MyKid.com think:
Pros:
Dee Dee is brightly colored and has awesome wings that Ellie loves to crinkle.  She has a hanging rattle that makes some great noises.
Cons:
Dee Dee has no teether and no squeaker – which for our teething baby is really important right now.  While the hanging rattle is cute, she tends to whack herself in the head with it if she’s not paying attention.
Overall Impression:
Dee Dee is cute, colorful and fun but she isn’t the first Lamaze toy we grab for.  She isn’t as easy for Ellie to hold as Mortimer or Freddy.  We do like her, but just not as much as the other ones.

Crap4MyKid.com thinks Dee Dee the Dragon is Really Good CRAP!!

Crap4MyKid.com Rating:  3.5 Dirty Diapers

Also See Mortimer the Moose

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What does Crafty Baby say:
Clutch Ball

Our original design clutch ball is great for children ages 4 months and up. 7″ in diameter and divided into 4 sections for easy gripping, this ball is a soft and durable toy. Light jingle bells are hidden inside. Safe for eating, grabbing, throwing at siblings and furniture, this ball is also safe for the washing machine and dryer.

What does Crap4MyKid.com think:
Pros:
Well made, Soft, colorful, easy to grab, even for little hands, entertaining for little ones
Cons:
Possible safety issue
Overall Impression:
Well let’s talk about first impressions.  When we received our Clutch Ball, our daughter Ellie was just going down for a nap.  I put it next to her in her crib and she grabbed it instantly.  When she started fussing an hour later, I went to get her from her crib and she was still clutching it.  The colors on our Clutch Ball are very fun.  Crafty Baby offers many other pattern options, as well.

Our only concern with the Clutch Ball is the strap-like piece that divides the ball into sections.  If this strap gets taken off, it could pose some danger for the baby.  We don’t think any baby will be able to remove this strap, but our 8 year old figured it out within 30 seconds of looking at the Clutch Ball.  And, he left the strap off!!

On a whole, we think the Clutch Ball is great.  The baby likes it.  And we all find ourselves throwing it around the house and at each other.  Definitely worth adding to your baby’s toy collection.

Crap4MyKid.com thinks the Clutch Ball is Pretty Good Crap!!

Crap4MyKid.com Rating:  3.5 Dirty Diapers

Also see: Baby Songbird, Baby Light and Clip and All Baby Products