Too bad. I mean, I would, but it’s just not worth it.

The Graco Compact Infant Swing just isn’t that great. It does what it is supposed to do. You put your kid in it, turn it on and it rocks them. My wife and I were looking for a secondary swing for our room or the study that we could use to plop the little princess in while we try to get some work done. We already had the mac daddy Fisher-Price Papasan Cradle Swing but instead of spending the $120 on the one that we knew would be great, we went for the $70 model to save a few bucks.

At first glance, the swing seems OK, it’s small, compact and with nothing hanging over top of the baby.  Easy in and easy out operation for sure.  If your kid is a runt.  My daughter is a big girl…not some 30 pound fatty, but close to 20lbs at 5 months (97th percentile)…and at 4 months she essentially outgrew the swing.  Yes, she still fit, but she just wasn’t comfortable in it.  Which meant about 5 minutes of amusement followed by a few minutes of uncomfortable squirming which was then finished off with some crying.  To top off the overall small size of the swing, the leg straps are almost impossible to use past 10-12lbs, so once the kid gets big, the swing becomes useless.  It’s not the most stable thing either.  I mean, I never felt like my baby was going to fall out of it, or that it would collapse, but it just wasn’t sturdy.  not quite flimsy, but definitely not solid.

It does have some perks.  It’s small and light, which is nice since we bought it to take from room to room.  I’m really trying to think of something else here…

I think that if it was under $40, I wouldn’t be so up in arms about it’s size and quality.  At $70 it’s just too much for a mediocre swing.

It does get pretty good reviews on Amazon (I’m guessing by people with normal sized babies) so it may be worth checking out. I’d suggest avoiding it all together though and just go for the Fisher Price model.

But wait there’s more…PoppaBlog is blazing straight into 2003 and bringing you embedded video. YES, video on a website.  We’re all about pushing the envelope.  Without further adieu, my awesome kid, in her awesome ExerSaucer making the neighbor kids just give up out of sheer jealousy.

What are you waiting for? Buy it! Be a good dad…It has a koala, a singing lizard and MONKEYS! Click below now if you love your kids!

Evenflo ExerSaucer Triple Fun – Jungle

Story Something generates personalized stories for a child that makes them the hero by putting them at the center of the narrative. A parent selects a theme (dragons, pets, superheroes) to see a list of stories that fit their child’s interests. Stories can be browsed by topic or age. The hero takes on the child’s name, and a story is generated which can be viewed on the Web or emailed to the parent. That turns your iPhone into a bedtime reader.

It’s currently in private beta, but take a minute and sign up. Your kids will love the new twist on bed time stories. For more information, check out the article on TechCrunch.

Also, if you’re not following us on twitter, hit us up at www.twitter.com/PoppaBlog

The book in question is The Millionaire Next Door by Dr. Thomas Stanley and Dr. William Danko.

I’m still only a few chapters in (I started over) and already I’m hearing things that I intrinsically know, but often find myself struggling to DO. One of the key premises of the book, which is based on a comprehensive study of millionaires in America, is leaving well below your means. With the added expense of children, rising inflation and the desire to have a V8 powered station wagon to haul around your offspring, living below your means is tough these days. Also of interest is that the average millionaire hasn’t received a dime from an inheritance or windfall, or has had any help becoming who they are today. Then how do they do it you ask? Hard work, determination, living below their means, investing 15-20% of their annual income…yep, the hard way.

I plan on getting rich from my Amazon.com affiliate links and ads on this blog…just counting down the days. I’m kidding. Kind of.

So what does a millionaire look like? Read the book, I guarantee you that most millionaires will not satisfy any stereotypical image that you have in your head right now. Most have never spent $5000 on a watch, most drive cars that are 10 years old (and paid for)…most could live off of their wealth for 10-15 years. How long could you live the life you’re living right now if you weren’t getting paid anymore?

And that’s just the first few chapters. My kids will read this book while they are in college and hopefully they’ll finish it. I wish I had finished it then. The last decade or so, could have been spent generating more wealth and worrying less about gadgets, gizmos and having the hottest baby hauling wagon in my neighborhood. Well, OK, let’s not get crazy…I NEED the Audi wagon to haul my kids around, it’s a matter of safety and efficiency.

Check out the book, read it again if you have already read it. Especially in today’s rough and tumble economy where a lot of us are choosing to be frugal, this book will help you understand the importance of staying that way even when the NYSE starts giving out money for free again.

My greatest fear has been realized…will we end up in a minivan? Oh dear god, I’m going to be that suburban dad, carting around my kid and 6 of her friends in our minivan. OK we only have one kid, I’m being dramatic, but we do need a new vehicle that is small wife (5 feet and some change) and HUGE baby (13+lbs/25 inches at 9 weeks) friendly. I think we’re part of the crossover target demographic. A vehicle that in the past I viewed as useless…dismissing it for people with too much crap to buy a car or not a big enough ego to get a gas swilling SUV…but here I am, on the verge of “needing” a small SUV/crossover (or maybe a big sedan).

So where do we start? I guess a budget would be a good place, but with some manufacturers throwing $40k cars at you with 0% financing, or willing to lease you something that normally would be a $600+/mo car payment for $350/month, I have to say, we’re open. Anything will be considered. I found myself looking at the Audi Q5, Mercedes ML (Diesel) all the way to the Honda Element and Toyota Highlander. Unlike myself, my wife prefers function over form, as long as it’s a little bit unique and/or has funky styling. Also, new or used (with remaining warranty/CPO) doesn’t matter. Decent gas mileage is a plus. Also, power liftgate is a borderline requirement (if it’s an SUV/crossover).

Hopefully, I can get Mrs. New Mom to chime in here, but a few of the vehicles that we’re going to strongly consider are the following:

• Audi Q5
• Audi Q7 (Used 6 cylinder model)
• BMW 3-Series Wagon
• Lexus RX
• Toyota Highlander
• Audi A6
• Honda Element (you laugh, but it’s getting a test drive)
• Mercedes GLK Series (I’ve pretty much ruled this one out as it gets VERY expensive once you add a few options)
• your suggestions…

So please, if you have some suggestions, or know of anything that we might want to consider, please let us know. Also, I’m a sucker for a great deal (which is how I ended up with a Jeep at 0% financing and 6 months w/o a payment) so any deals you might know of, let me know in the comments. Expect to have some reviews posted here in the near future…even though we’re probably a couple of months off from making the purchase, we’re going to start auditioning a few vehicles to nail down the size and shape we’re looking for.

So yeah, if you’re shopping for a new whip to haul around the new addition in, this is definitely worth a read. And one tip from PoppaBlog, take the car seat with you if you have one already…

Kicking Tires on Cars.com: Happy Father’s Day: The Best Cars This Dad Has Driven

Did I mention that it’s funny? The section on having sex with a pregnant woman (yes) and how to deal with the hormonal moments are worth the price of the book. Not too mention the recipes and general tips and advice on being a good guy (ahem, caveman) for your woman during her pregnancy.

This book is ideal for guys who are the stereotypical beer drinking, football loving “manly men” types, but truly crosses all segments of men. If you’re overly sensitive and would be offended by something that makes us men seem like we’re not delicate sensitive flowers, you should probably be reading something else…but if you’re a dude, who likes mowing grass, changing oil and drinking beer then you will LOVE this book. It’s a great gift too.

The Caveman’s Pregnancy Companion: A Survival Guide for Expectant Fathers

Official description from Amazon.com:

A three-trimester evolutionary crash course to guide the prehistoric papa-to-be through the prenatal, preparental wilderness. Every man should read it!

What’s a clueless caveman about to become DAD to do? After all, it’s tough carrying a child for nine months—for him as well as for her. He’s just not sure how to behave. But help is on hand, in the form of a reassuring (and hysterically funny) course for the totally perplexed. Along with a large dose of humor, it provides the father-to-be with all the know-how he needs to become a well-prepared, well-heeled partner who’s really ready to stand upright and embrace his new responsibilities…rather than cowering from them. Every cave-student will find out how to support his mate through this emotional time, cope with his own feelings, deal with baby-related projects, and perform admirably during labor and delivery. So whether it’s catering to his exhausted companion’s needs by preparing a nutritional and tasty meal or engaging in a snuggle session when she craves a little cuddling, with the help of this book a guy will become the proud Cro-Magnon caregiver he longs to be!