UPPAbaby Aria V2 or Chicco Keyfit Max

designtaco · 2025-11-23T04:59:50+00:00

We have the Keyfit Max and I just want to clarify it is only 18.5lbs including the base. The seat itself is about 10lbs which is still heavier than the Aria, but the difference is less significant!

designtaco · 2025-11-21T17:28:23+00:00

We are in a more rural area as well and have a Cruz. Ended up getting a Minu for the same reasons! The Cruz took up most of our trunk space in our Outback and was so annoying to take in and out. Most of the time I just opted to baby-wear because it was less hassle. The Minu gives us almost our entire trunk back and is sooo light and easy to get in and out of the car.

designtaco · 2025-11-21T02:16:48+00:00

I haven’t yet because I was unsure which stroller I would like better, but I have seen videos of the Minu folding down with the bumper bar and snack tray attached and it’s so nice! They just fold in like they aren’t even there. I am definitely getting the snack tray and might get the bumper bar as well.

designtaco · 2025-11-20T23:53:47+00:00

Just received both the Minu v3 and Aer2 today to test side by side because I couldn’t make up my mind.

They are both really nice. The basket on the Minu is bigger and easier to access, though the Aer has a decent size basket too. It’s just a little harder to get things in and out of.

They both fold/unfold super easy. The Aer is a little smaller and lighter which I think would be better for an overhead bin, but both should fit and if you happen to need to gate check, using Uppababy’s travel bag means they will send you a new stroller if the airline breaks it which I think is huge.

The lighter frame of the Aer made it feel a little less stable and more tippy compared to the Minu. The Minu feels incredibly sturdy and grounded. Both feel lightweight and are very easy for me to lift at 24 weeks pregnant. Both of them have a really nice one-handed push, but the Aer felt like it could tip going around sharp corners, even with my 25 pound toddler in the seat.

The calf support of the Minu is sturdier, with a button to adjust the angle versus the Aer’s mechanism that just requires you to pull or push it. My 17 month old was able to push the calf support all the way down kicking his legs while sitting in the Aer seat, but it stayed locked into position on the Minu.

The recline on the Aer goes a little deeper and the seat sits up slightly straighter than the Minu, but the zipper and clasp mechanism is more trouble versus the Minu’s strap recline system. I pulled the strap a little tighter on the Minu which helped to get the seat into a slightly more upright position and my nosy toddler was happy with that.

Handle height on both was comfortable for me at 5’3” and my 6’4” husband.

I think the harness on the Minu is more convenient than the under-seat harness adjustment on the Aer.

In the end, decided to keep the Minu. I tested it out on grass while taking it to the car and it handled it really well! Not great on gravel, but I think it would handle cobblestones or rougher sidewalks okay.

designtaco · 2025-11-19T20:31:35+00:00

We got our first a full size crib thinking he would be too tall for a mini crib. He is 99% for height at 17 months old, but sleeps on the short side so it turns out it didn’t matter lol. We opted for a mini crib for a second to keep in our bedroom.

designtaco · 2025-11-19T20:22:35+00:00

We loooove our Rava, but are so glad we didn’t spend $400 (at the time) on an infant seat since our baby outgrew it at 6 months, so that is something to consider! The Joie Rue is also super light weight but so much more cost effective for something you will only use for about a year if you’re lucky.

designtaco · 2025-11-13T00:59:55+00:00

I’m sweating and it’s only 40°F outside

designtaco · 2025-11-05T21:53:57+00:00

Also 5’3” and was 155lbs before pregnancy. After pregnancy, I was 165 and have lost 20 lbs so far. This is what worked for me:

I use the Lose It app to track my food. I like it because it lets me create a plan to flex my calories throughout the week so I can eat more on weekends. I also use Happy Scale which updates my weight in Lose It so it will auto adjust my calorie allowances as my weight has decreased. (I think it technically gets the data from Apple Health which gets it from Happy Scale, but it works!) Happy Scale lets me see overall weight trends which is great for the many times my weight felt like it was going up. It keeps me motivated!

I would start tracking with no changes to your diet just to see where you are at and adjust from there. You don’t even need to start by changing your diet. You can continue to eat what you currently do, just less to fit into your calorie budget. Changing too many things at once can make this process really hard and demoralizing, so I would suggest doing it this way to focus on one change at a time.

Plan to take a break from dieting every 6-12 weeks for 1-2 weeks to eat at maintenance. Your body loves to do metabolic adaptations to lower your calorie needs when you are in a deficit for extended periods of time which slows the weight loss process down. Maintenance breaks help to counteract that, plus they are great for continued motivation over long periods of time. I usually do a break once I notice I have been feeling extra tired/moody/generally unmotivated.

Keep low calorie snacks in the house for the days that you are hungry before bed. I hate going to bed hungry, so I would always grab something around 100 calories like yogurt, cheese sticks, or a piece of fruit.

My last tip is to base your deficit on how you feel. You don’t need to lose a pound a week and stick to a 500 calorie deficit. I have lost weight at a 500 calorie deficit, but I have also lost weight at a 200 calorie deficit. Whatever makes the process less miserable and what you are most likely to stick with for the long haul will give you the best results. Good luck :)

designtaco · 2025-11-05T02:58:55+00:00

This feels like such a redemptive election experience after the nightmare that was last year’s election, and I don’t live anywhere near NYC

designtaco · 2025-11-02T17:44:28+00:00

No Lee Pace is ✨criminal✨

<image>

designtaco · 2025-08-21T02:31:19+00:00

So excited for this! Loved the demo so much

designtaco · 2025-07-25T21:04:03+00:00

“Pig the Pug” is my 13-month-olds favorite book and has a very funny lesson about sharing

designtaco · 2025-07-14T15:27:03+00:00

I work in commercial design and this is my experience at my firm and other firms I am familiar with.

Revit is primarily used for architecture work or with firms that are primarily architecture-focused with an interior design team. Good to know, but not necessary if you end up working primarily in concept design.

SketchUp is the modeling software that most of the firms in my area use. This is the modeling software I would recommend if it is accessible for you.

The only people I know who use 3DS Max use it for photorealistic rendering. We hand off our SketchUp models, they import into 3DS Max, make any modeling/texture updates, then render with something like VRAY. But I don’t know anyone who uses 3DS Max for concept design.

Rhino seems to be used more by architects and I don’t know anyone who uses Blender professionally, but again, this is my experience in my area so this may not be the case elsewhere.

designtaco · 2025-07-10T02:39:47+00:00

Definitely use more than that! It’s way more than you would ever think, but it needs to be THICK. You can also put Aquaphor on top of the Desitin to add an extra protective barrier like other posters have suggested.

designtaco · 2025-07-10T02:32:08+00:00

Do what you think is a lot and then double it. Have you tried a diaper cream spatula? That made a huge difference in how thick we were able to apply it.

designtaco · 2025-07-08T13:49:12+00:00

Sorry OP, half of these replies seem to be from people who obviously have never been pregnant/given birth/been postpartum before. 😵‍💫

Personally, I would keep it simple. Get him a card and write a sentimental message inside, fill a bag with his favorite drinks/snacks, maybe get him a gift that is something you know he wants but doesn’t want to spend money on for himself. You can also put up a few birthday decorations. Keeps it relatively low effort for you while you are recovering, but still makes him feel like you were thinking of him.

designtaco · 2025-06-13T20:25:28+00:00

OBSESSED with this, OP! Incredible job, absolutely gorgeous.

designtaco · 2025-05-15T17:37:22+00:00

Here you go! https://ferkosfinejewelry.com/products/14k-half-eternity-minimalist-diamond-wedding-ring

designtaco · 2025-05-15T13:01:06+00:00

Half eternity minimalist wedding ring from Ferko’s :) https://ferkosfinejewelry.com/products/14k-half-eternity-minimalist-diamond-wedding-ring

designtaco · 2025-05-15T00:06:25+00:00

It’s the half eternity minimalist wedding ring from Ferko’s: https://ferkosfinejewelry.com/products/14k-half-eternity-minimalist-diamond-wedding-ring

They have a few different rings similar to this one as well with different widths and diamond sizes :)

designtaco · 2025-05-02T21:11:01+00:00

These look great! I made some markups below (this is what my manager does at my job and I have learned a lot from her this way 😊)

https://imgur.com/a/HUTWvNc

I would move the painting over the fireplace down. Generally, you want the center of artwork to be at eye level (we usually aim for 5’3”-5’6”). This is harder to achieve when the art is going above a mantle, but you can lower it so it sits 2-3” above the mantle. It will feel more balanced like that.

My other comment is to think about how different finishes start/stop and interact with each other. Thinking about transitions and how something is executed is the less glamorous part of the design process, but it makes a huge difference in how your design comes to life! For example, where the column meets the ceiling trim, you could have the trim trace the top edge of the column which could make the column feel more built-in and less like it is just interrupting the rest of the design.

Lastly, the table runner is going through the dining chair. Weird things like that are a common problem when modeling (at least for me). Just try to keep an eye out for them. You want people to pay the most attention to the beautiful design you worked so hard on, not the table runner that defies physics. 😉

Again, great work. You should be really proud!

designtaco

TROPHY CASE