When I'm asked who inspires me most in life, I always say my grandparents. They are, without doubt, the kindest, most loving couple I have ever known. They've created a large family, and show every one of their children, grandchildren and now, great grandchildren such a huge amount of unconditional love and kindness. Oliver is named after my Grandad, he had to be, he's my hero.
So many of my most special memories growing up we made around my grandmas dining table. There would be bowls filled with her delicious cooking, wine flowing, sisters squabbling and Grandpa pretending not to hear the nagging about his over use of salt. Oh if that table could talk!!
I dream that one day, Colin and I will have what they have. A happy, loving 60+ year marriage and a big dysfunctional family to love beyond measure.
When we found out Ollie was on his way, my Grandparents wanted to buy us a high chair. Not just any high chair. Something that we could use for many many years, something we could keep forever, pass on to our grandchildren even. A high chair that would bring Oliver right up to the heart of our home, with the rest of the family.
Grandma and Grandpa bought us the Stokke Tripp Trapp. It's a very generous gift.
The Tripp Trapp isn't cheap. The initial outlay is for the highchair itself. You then buy the accessories depending on your child's age, like the 'new born set', 'baby set', cushions etc... Stokke even offer a 'table top' which is like an interactive tray. Very clever indeed!!
Essentially, the Tripp Trapp can be used from one day old, until your child is, well, a grown up! When you think of it like that, it's well worth it's price tag. It's a quality piece of furniture, made from solid wood and painted in a durable, non-toxic paint. Easy to assemble, taking only 10-15 minutes max. It's strong and sturdy when built and can easily take the weight of an adult.
Aesthetically, the Tripp Trapp doesn't disappoint either. It's available in a vast selection of colours. There are gorgeous neutral tones and some really fun bright colours too. Plenty of choice to suit your taste and work with your home decor. We went for white, which is actually more of an ivory colour.
You can also choose a cushion for the seat of your baby set. This makes the chair really soft and comfortable for your little one. An unusual feature in a high chair. Again, there's loads of fabulous colours and patterns to choose from! The harness is only available in beige, but that works well with the chair and cushions we picked.
And, the Tripp Trapp doesn't just look good...
Ollie has been using his chair since he was just one day old, and every day since. There are very few items that have had as much use as our Tripp Trapp.
The Newborn attachment is AMAZING! A car-seat-shaped-seat, it's so comfortable and secure for your baby. We found Ollie napped beautifully in it right from the first time it was used. A napping baby is always a winner while you're tucking into your lunch.
Another great thing about the TrippTrapp newborn seat is that your baby is elevated from the ground, particularly good if you have an excitable dog or other children running around like we do.
Only one small criticism would be that the newborn attachment could be ever-so-slightly bigger. We found Ollie was too long for the newborn seat by the time he was 3-4 months, but he wasn't able to sit up on his own (and therefore not able to use the baby seat) until he was 5 months. He's quite a big boy, so this wouldn't be the case for everyone, but there were a few weeks where we were between 'newborn' and 'baby' and were unable to use the TrippTrapp.
Now that we are using the 'baby set' however, we are so impressed! It's really comfortable, and encourages good posture from the moment your child can sit up. The shape of the seat and height of the back make it almost impossible for Ollie to slouch. The harness is comfortable and does up easily across your babies chest.
The whole thing is super easy to clean with just a damp cloth or wipe. The cushions are removed easily and machine wash well at 40degrees. Although, that pattern hides a multitude of sins!! There is the option of a tray, should you want to use the chair away from the dining table, but we haven't felt the need for the this.
In my opinion, the best thing about the Tripp Trapp is that the chair comes right up to the dining table, the heart of our home. At only 6 months old, Ollie is involved in most family meal times. I really think he enjoys sitting with us, and it's a great way for him to learn and develop along side his family and friends.
It really has been one of the very best gifts that we've received. Not just because it was from my sweet grandparents, but because it really is more than just a high chair, it's an important part of Ollie's childhood and all of our memories.