Going Dad’s New Fiskars StaySharp Max Reel Mower

03/27/2014 R.C. Liley 6 Comments

Yes, it’s here and I can’t wait to use this beautiful piece of equipment! The Fiskars StaySharp Max Reel Mower is the Ferrari of reel mowers; sleek, quiet, and powerful.

We like to do our part to make a smaller impact on the environment, and reel mowers are a perfect fit for this! Plus, there’s no spending money on oil and gas, and no engine maintenance! You never have to worry about your mower starting either!

Since we needed a mower and loved what I read about the Fiskars Reel Mower, I wrote Fiskars and asked if they would be willing to send one for me to review. Oh boy, the excitement that ran through me when they kindly agreed could hardly be contained!

And now it’s here! Assembly was a breeze and it was together in minutes. Of course, I did have a handy helper…

We got this in the mail today….

….but I promptly tossed it in the recycle bin! No gas-powered mowers on our lawn, thank you, and I’ll mow it myself using my own power!

The Fiskars StaySharp Max is loaded with features that actually make mowing your lawn, dare I say, fun! Here’s a list of features as provided on their website:

The smart design of our eco-friendly reel mower offers a cleaner cut without the hassles of gasoline, oil, battery charging, electrical cords or loud engine noise
Received Popular Mechanics 2010 Green Design Award and recommended by Consumer Reports over other reel mowers among other accolades
A combination of advanced technologies make the StaySharp™ Max Reel Mower 60% easier to push than other reel mowers
Patent-pending InertiaDrive™ Reel delivers twice the cutting power to blast through twigs, weeds and tough spots that would jam other reel mowers
Exclusive StaySharp™ Cutting System uses precision-ground, hardened steel blades to cut grass without touching, greatly reducing friction and blade wear for long-lasting performance without costly annual blade sharpening
Patent-pending VersaCut™ Technology offers cut height settings from 1″–4″ to provide best-in-class cutting, even when you’ve missed a week of mowing, plus one-touch height adjustment for comfortable use
Inset wheel design allows the blades to extend across the full width of the mower to eliminate uncut strips under the wheels and edge closer to foundations, fences and borders than other reel mowers
Unique grass discharge chute throws clippings forward cleanly, away from your feet
Cuts all grass types, even tough southern varieties like St. Augustine, Zoysia, Bahia and Bermuda
18″ cut width
Limited three-year warranty

So, if you live in a typical neighborhood and don’t have acres of grass to mow, the Fiskars reel mower is a great choice to save you money and keep you in shape!

After taking pictures of it, I was ready to get out and use this elegant mower for the first time. Oh yeah, I have a baby to watch though….

Being one who always looks for ways to challenge myself, I decided I would just wear Avery in our sporty Onya Baby Outback carrier; problem solved!

Ready to kick some grass! Okay, just cut it really.... — Ready to kick some grass! Okay, just cut it really….

Notice how the Fiskars Reel Mower and the Onya have matching colors. Coincidence? ~~I think not!~~ Well, actually, yes, but pretty cool, huh? With Avery snug on my chest and the mower ready to go, I raised the garage door eager to get out and go.

I swear it's opening slower just to spite me! — I swear it’s opening slower just to spite me!

Where should I start first? What direction would be best? Did I hang the cloth diapers to dry? All of these questions running through my mind as the door took a seemingly longer time than usual to open. Oh no, wait a second, it looks like I won’t be mowing today!

Stupid rain. But also not stupid because we don’t want a draught this year! Sorry, Avery, we’ll have to wait for another day. We can go work on you rolling over instead.

Sounds good, dad, I'm on it!! — Sounds good, dad, I’m on it!!

I didn’t really expect to have a review that quickly anyway. I want to go through a few mows to be able to experience it enough first. Aside from a full review, I also have more plans in store for this wonderful piece of equipment.

Look forward to a post on how I’m a baby wearing daddy, how reel mowing is beneficial to the environment and your wallet, and maybe even a lawn mowing sprint workout! Yep, I’m excited for all of these and I can’t thank Fiskars enough for providing me with the opportunity to use their reel mower!

The rain eventually died down and I was able to take Avery and Abby for our hour long walk. It was cold and windy today, and despite covering Avery in a hat and her Zippy, she was still bothered by the wind. Poor girl. But she powered through it and didn’t whine at all! So, total time in the Onya was one hour for the day.

Do you or have you used a reel mower before? If not, what’s keeping you from trying?

Disclosure: Fiskars sent me their StaySharp Max Reel Mower to review free of charge, but I was not compensated otherwise. All thoughts and opinions and strictly my own.

Parenting

Baby Compliments at a Urinal

03/26/2014 R.C. Liley 1 Comment

Well hello and happy hump day! Lets hope it a good one so we can be just as excited about it as this guy….

I’m happy to report I didn’t spend Monday night on the nursery floor and Avery slept pretty well in her crib most of the night! Since I’m writing this before bed on a Tuesday, I’m not sure how she’ll be, but her naps were lacking and hopefully she’ll play catch-up now.

Avery has been staying up longer before going down for her first nap of the day which pushes everything out by an hour. This means more time to entertain her the best I can. By entertain, I mostly mean let her watch me workout.

I usually workout in our garage, but since the stupid cold is still around, that wouldn’t be good to make her sit and shiver. So, I’ve been resorting the Supreme 90 Day workout videos I’ve mentioned before here and here. I fear that since we have the full DVD set and I’ve been following the schedule, I’m not going to be able to stop. I’m weird like that, once I start a program, I DESPISE quitting until it’s done.

Basically, expect to read more about my Supreme 90 Day workouts for a while. Plus, Kelley is following the program so it’s something we can do together….kind of. Of course, I’ll still do more since the weather is getting nicer and I want to be outside.

Since Avery didn’t feel like napping after playing in her jumper, taking a bottle, and me reading “The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear” (one of my favorite childhood books), I subjected her to a Supreme 90 workout.

The Supreme 90 workout of the day was “Ultimate Ball” where, you guessed, use a stability ball for everything! So, Avery intently watch as I worked my core with different ball exercises of 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off for 30 minutes. I told her she had to get down and workout too, but she didn’t seem too eager..

No Dad, I'm good here. — No Dad, I’m good here.

I don’t blame her, the ball workouts are annoying and I just feel like a fish flopping on rock. Avery even looked at me in bewilderment wondering why I didn’t look like the people in the video…

After the video, she finally gave in and napped. Yep, guess I was that exciting to watch! It was time for our weekly store trip, and luckily I only had two as opposed the three stores to go to. Once Avery woke up, we were off to store, one, Central Market!

One day, you'll see more than the top of her head! — One day, you’ll see more than the top of her head!

I don’t get to go to this store very often anymore, and it was a nice trip today. Avery slept most of the time and let me have time to gather bulk herbs, spices, and powders. Even if I know I don’t need anything down an aisle, I make sure to zig zag through every part of the store just out of habit (or maybe OCD) before leaving. An hour later and we off to other, more frequent store, Costco.

Avery was growing impatient at this time, but not unruly. I decided to make it a quick trip anyway since it was getting late. But, before zig zagging the aisles, my morning caffeine had me heading to the men’s room. I walked in with the slightly fussy Avery to see one guy standing in the middle urinal with the other ones empty on either side.

If you know me, you know this annoys me. Just choose the freakin’ left or right side if you have all three open! Reluctantly, I walked to the left one to do my business and leave. But, I couldn’t help but notice the man staring at Avery and me, so I stared back with a straight face. Then he said “Cute baby. Boy or girl?” I quickly told him girl and hoped that would be the end, but he continued on as if we were at a coffeehouse in deep conversation.

I don’t like talking when standing at a urinal ever, but I really don’t like talking about by baby to some guy while standing a urinal. Poor guy, I’m sure he was harmless and meant only to pay a compliment, but I like my space, period.

Once home, I unloaded the groceries and made it out for a quick run with Avery and Abby. We were happy to see Going Mom was home when we returned and spent the rest of the day inside. Avery watched Kelley do a little of her Supreme 90 workout, but then she turned into a ~~night terror~~ whiny baby and I brought her over with me in the kitchen…..where she still whined.

No long walk in the Onya today, but with the two store trips and 10 minutes at home, the total time spent wearing Avery today was an hour and forty minutes. Most of it she slept or at least did not cry a lot.

Talking when using a public restroom, yay or nay?

I’m not a fan of holding any discussions in a public restroom, even with people I know, but it’s not a problem at home.

Parenting

Sleeping on the Nursery Floor and Onya Outback Progress

03/25/2014 R.C. Liley 6 Comments

So, Monday was off to a great start with Avery firing up her vocals nice and early at midnight. For almost an hour, we laid in bed listening to her wavy whimpers and watching her do what looked like reverse crunches on the baby monitor. We decided I would feed her a bottle and let her fall back asleep so I could put her back in her crib. Well, at least it sounded like a good plan…

At first, Avery accepted the bottle, but after only a few minutes she would jerk her head away. This happened a numerous amount of times with crying in between. She was hungry, but not really taking to the bottle. Teething? Maybe. Baby? Yes.

I gave up on the bottle after a while and started trying to rock her to sleep. I used Kelley’s Boppy pillow to lay her across my lap and she was out fast. How Kelley gets the damn pillow from off of her waist to put Avery in the crib, I haven’t a clue. That thing just stuck on my waist like an inner tube!

After gently shaking my butt to get the Boppy off while holding Avery, I crept over to her crib and laid her down. Nope. Instant squirming and crying ensued. WTF!? I could’ve sneezed 5 times while holding her, but even a mouse fart seems to wake her up when not being held!

This same scenario, Boppy and all, occurred another 3 times over the course of an hour before I was ready to reach for some bourbon and ease myself to sleep. But, although I do like bourbon, I’m no alcoholic nor a bad parent, so I just laid on her blanket on the nursery floor.

Boppy's are good for more than just breast feeding! — Boppy’s are good for more than just breast feeding!

As I laid there, listening to our baby go in and out of high and low pitch crying, I felt I’d never get to sleep. Next thing I know, Kelley is waking me up at 5 in the morning and telling me to come to bed. Wow, I guess Avery’s cries were just melodic enough to put me to sleep!

Avery then woke up at 6 and I brought her to our room so Kelley could feed her. Luckily, she fell right back asleep and Kelley was kind enough to let us both sleep past our usual 7 a.m. wake-up time. Good times, but hope to never sleep on the nursery floor again.

Once her morning nap was over, it was time for a long walk in the nice weather. I buckled the Onya Baby Outback on and secured Avery in the front carry position. I used the chest clip again and I’m convinced I like it the most for ease of putting on. Plus, when crossing the straps, I don’t like how they just drag on the floor when unclipped.

Right before heading out and falling asleep

Not 10 minutes had passed with Avery in the Outback and she was out. Hmm, maybe someone didn’t get much sleep last night! It was a refreshing 4+ mile walk around the neighborhood lasting right at an hour and Avery slept the entire time.

And then she's out... — And then she’s out…

That was a first. Yeah, Avery went to sleep in the Baby Bjorn, but would never last long until waking up from my movement or a loud noise. I even wore her again to vacuum the house and she was out at the snap of my fingers. But I didn’t really snap my fingers, if you were wondering.

Total time in the Onya Outback for Monday = 1.5 hours. Avery slept this entire time and didn’t fuss either, so we’re making great progress! I am really loving our Onya and hope our second store trip on Tuesday goes over well!

Have you ever resorted to sleeping on the floor of your baby’s room?

Does or did your baby sleep soundly when being held and instantly wake up when you laid them down?