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The Case for Baby Monitors After Babyhood (Giveaway!!!)

September 26, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 10 Comments

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Levana. The opinions and text are all mine.

In the last month, there has been a fundamental shift in my worldview, friends. My baby started going to school almost exactly a month ago, and she is away from 8-12, Monday-Friday. She hasn’t acted like a baby (tantrums aside) since she was 8 months old and started walking. In many ways, she has felt like a toddler from the start…always a handful and always itching to do the next developmental thing.

And yet, she’s still my baby. Assuming a surprise isn’t headed our way, she’ll be our last. It is so bittersweet to watch my baby climb out of the car every day with her backpack and her lunch box, headed off to school like the big girl she really is.

So you may find it interesting to hear that I just installed her third baby monitor system (the first one died of natural causes, and the second died because I plugged it into the wrong power cord and fried it. Why yes, it DID cause me to utter some choice words).

My husband did not agree with me, and thought that the baby monitor stage of our lives should reach its natural conclusion at this point. But I see a need for it, friends! In fact, let’s just re-name it, because it doesn’t have to just be a BABY monitor. It can be an mischief monitor, a walkie-talkie system, or an entertainment device for young kids.

The Sofia monitor from Levana is what we are currently using, and let me tell you, it is being put to WORK. My girls are finally at the point where they can be playing with each other without mom having to be within immediate striking distance. That means that the girls can be in one of their rooms upstairs while I’m downstairs doing ultra glamorous things like laundry and making dinner.

I’m able to see what they are up to (in full color!) and also talk with them through the speaker function. This eliminates most of the back and forth trips I have to do to referee toy disputes.

It’s also no big deal for me to unplug the device and walk around with it. It has an impressive 48 hour battery life when unplugged. I have actually put this to the test, and I can confirm that it is true! The device will start beeping when the batteries are low so that you don’t forget that you have it unplugged.

Tim especially likes the yellow color of the wireless monitor, and the reason is because it is different enough to make it easy to spot when you forgot where you last had it, and yet, the color isn’t obnoxious, either. I thought that was a great point, because I tote this thing all over the place and leave it pretty much anywhere and everywhere. But I rarely have trouble spotting it!

One other great feature is the room temperature notification. This is very important for infants, who are more sensitive to temperature shifts and less able to regulate their own boy temperatures, but it is also helpful for parents of bigger ones, especially during the changing of the seasons, when temperatures in the day are quite pleasant, but may surprise you at night with how low they go. You want to make sure everyone is comfortable and not waking up in the middle of the night freezing!

I’ve been quite pleased with the Sofia Video Monitor, and would recommend it as an affordable choice for anyone looking for maximum convenience and a really great video monitor system all in one. This set is available for $79.99. Follow Levana on Facebook to get to know the brand better, and to hear about special promotions.

Speaking of which, let’s give away some monitors right now!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Levana. The opinions and text are all mine.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Giveaways · Tagged: levana baby monitor, levana sofia monitor, review, sofia monitor, video monitor reviews, video monitors

VTech Wows with Its VM333 Video Monitor

December 17, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This post brought to you by VTech Communications. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you are currently in the market for a new baby monitor, or if you know someone who is, then I'd like to introduce you to the VM333 from VTech. We've been testing it out for close to a week, now, and after clearing a few hurdles with the new equipment, I can now say that we are very impressed with its capabilities! 

vtech 1 photo VTechVM333monitor1_zpsfafabdb8.jpg

The VM333 has replaced our other video monitor for a few key reasons. 

1. range of motion. This camera has a ful range of motion, whereas our other monitor couldn't move its camera at all. We can look at the baby from different angles if we need to, or even zoom in, all without setting foot inside her room. 

vtech 2 photo vTechVM333monitor2_zps6fbe10cd.jpg

2. high video resolution. What good is a video monitor if the picture it gives you is always really grainy? That's not the case with this monitor, which provides significantly clearer images, as well as color instead of just black and white. I have a little tummy sleeper, so I really appreciate being able to get a closer look at her to make sure she's positioned safely. It also has a 2.8 inch screen, which is significantly larger than our old unit. 

3. sound quality. This system is VERY sensitive to sound, and at first, this was actually quite troubling to me. You can have your monitor make a beeping noise on the observation end of the system whenever noise levels reach a certain place in the baby's room. I had to quickly change that feature, as it was driving me absolutely nuts. But I can also see how that is an excellent feature for anyone who is a really deep sleeper and has trouble waking up in the middle of the night, even if there is a crying baby in the next room. The monitor does provide crisp sound so that I can tell exactly when it is time to go in and get Layah (it isn't always the second she makes a peep, as she sometimes puts herself back to sleep!). 

4. mountability. You can mount the unit to the wall. We've always had to have a tall-ish piece of furniture within a certain distance of the crib to set the monitor on, and that's no longer an issue. 

The VM333 from VTech's Safe & Sound series is the best baby monitoring system I have ever personally experienced, by far. It would make for an awesome baby gift for new parents. 

You can keep up with the latest from VTech, makers of a whole host of incredible products for the home and for everyone in your family, on social media. Be sure to Like VTech on Twitter and Follow VTech on Facebook to keep up with the new releases! 

Visit Sponsor's Site

Filed Under: General · Tagged: baby monitor reviews, infant video monitor, review, video monitor, video monitor reviews, vm333 video monitor, vtech, vtech video monitor, vtech vm333

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Welcome!


Grab your beverage of choice (mine is iced coffee) and let's hang out for a spell! I'm Tiffany, and I've rambunctious little girls and a fierce desire to share any tip and trick I can find to make lives with little ones a bit less hectic and a lot more fun. [Read more...]

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